All For Christ
by pebbles989
Summary: Sequel to The Song of Songs. Thomas and Bathsheba Cromwell are enjoying their new lives in Germany with their growing family, but as faces from the past start to surface, could their happiness soon be coming to an end?
1. Chapter 1

(Thanks to again to everyone who read and reviewed _The Song of Songs. _Have started the sequel with a flashback to the burning of John Lambert with Thomas narrating-it will make sense later, I promise :). Hope you all enjoy.)

**London, November 1538**

_He does not have to die. All he has to do, is repeat the words I have told him and all will be forgiven. Why can he not see, that the world does not need martyrs? To what good do they serve? A date in the calendar in which we can all sit round the table with our families and weep...please, how does that strength our cause? I watched More stand by his beliefs but it did not stop the Reformation, all it did was tear his family apart. _

_I hate executions. Deep down I have no stomach for them. Anyone that enjoys the sight of a creature slowly dying, must have fevers on the brain. Burning is the worse death any man can face. The smell of burning skin claws at you and embeds itself in your nose, so that when you wake in the night, you can still smell and taste the poor bastards putrid flesh but if it's a nightmare for those who watch, then it must be Hell on Earth for the one who is suffering._

* * *

_All he had to do was say, was that the wine was the blood of Christ. He does not have to believe it, he just has to say it! It's out of protection, not of fear, submission or vanity. _

_I stand apart from the crowds that have gathered but I have clear view of those waiting to watch John make his final journey. There are men and women stood there, their faces showing great strain and sorrow-I know most of the men, some of them were once close friends. Men who I went Cambridge with, who I use to study along side, who I would laugh with in the local tavern, which was also the place where we would discuss our new found faith. I doubt many can see me from where I stand, but I know what they think of me. To them I am a traitor, who has betrayed my conscious and God, for wealth and privilege of this world but they are wrong and John is wrong. It was not my conscious I was speaking of, when I asked him to say the words that would save him from the fires. _

_They light the fire and I flinch as the flames start to rise. In my hand I hold the tiny sliver cross that Bathsheba and Kate gave to me last Christmas. Running my thumb over the centre of the cross, I try to find comfort as I hear poor John's cries._

'_All for Christ! All for Christ!'_

* * *

'_John Lambert has gone to his death, you majesty,'_

'_And to Hell,' replies the King and I feel the nauseas that I has been gathering in the pit of my stomach all day start to rise, as my mind races. Was John right, have I forsaken my own conscious for the whims of a the King? In my heart, I still hold to the words of Luther, but have I made a mistake in denying my heart for my worldly life? _

_I was convinced that the King was part of our cause. Maybe not at first, but I believed that once he had taken the first step towards the Reformation, he would come round to our way of thinking. Even with the Articles of Faith, I still convinced myself that deep down the King would see sense, but now I know I was a fool. The King does not care for our Reformation or his people. It was never about ending the age of ignorance for him. The only thing that has changed in his belief, is that he, not the Pope, who is God representative on Earth. _

_The King slurps his food, so much for the Golden Prince but he is not simply a prince anymore. Because of me, he answers to no one for his actions, he can do what he likes, to who he likes and to Hell with the consequences. He burns a Lutheran on the same day he'll behead a Catholic. I've created a tyrant!_

_He wants to see the images of the ladies of Cleves but at this moment I do not care-I just want to be out of here! _

* * *

_Finally I reach home. It is almost dark but it doesn't matter, as I'm paying very little attention to my surroundings. I know I did the right thing-I have done the right thing. What else could I have done? England could not carry on under the darkness of suspicion, whilst being ruled by a foreign Prince, we needed change! How can change occur when those who could enforce it are being burnt to death? Perhaps I underestimated the power that the King would wield, but it had to be done._

'_Dada!,' cries Kate, running out into the stables. I throw the reins of my horse to stable lad, jump off the horse and swing my little girl up into my arms, 'dada'_

'_How's my Kate?' I ask, trying to remove any trace of trouble from my voice, 'have you been a good girl for your mother?'_

_I hold her tight as I carry her back to the house. I confess part of me was scared the night Bathsheba told me I had gotten her with child but now I cannot image my world without my little girl. As we get into the light, I see that she is wearing one of my old shirts over her dress and is covered in head to toe in flour, with jam smeared on her face._

'_Been making jam tarts, dada,' she says, hugging me, 'mummy say I couldn't eat them till you got home,'_

_I try and smile, as my younger daughter looks excitedly at me, but this time I'm trying to hide my worry that I will have to eat Bathsheba's cooking. _

'_Don't look so worried, Lord Cromwell,' Bathsheba calls, coming into the hall, her beautiful hair falling out from under her cap, 'Alys helped Kate, I just stood and watched. Come here Kate, you've got flour all over your dada's clothes,'_

_Bathsheba comes over and takes Kate from me. I notice that my clothes are now covered in white powered, that hang in the air, as I try to brush it off._

'_Sorry, dada,' _

'_It does not matter,' I laugh, giving up trying to brush off the flour, 'it does not matter,'_

'_Kate,' says Bathsheba, putting her down. Bathsheba, too is now covered with the white dust but somehow its becoming on her, 'why don't you go and get dada one of your jam tarts,'_

_Kate nods eagerly, her little head bobbing up and down, before running down the corridor to the kitchen. Bathsheba comes over to me and puts her arms round my neck. I suddenly feel great comfort, as I pull my wife to me._

'_You have jam on cheek, Lord Cromwell,' she whispers, before removing it, with the sleeve of her dress, 'everything ok, Thomas?'_

'_Everything is fine,' I smile reassuringly, kissing her on the lips, 'did you have a good day?'_

'_Thomas,' she says, pulling away from me, her striking green eyes staring straight into mine, 'I go out into the city. I listen to what people say. I know John Lambert was burnt today and I know you were once friends...Thomas why didn't you tell me?'_

'_I was trying to protect you,' I say, a plea for forgiveness. I keep certain things from her, the way I use to do with Elizabeth, because I feel that if I do not think of these things when I am home, it makes them seem less brutal._

_She walks away from me a little, but I reach out and grab hold of her hand, which thankfully she takes. Our fingers intertwine. I fear for her and Kate, as well as Gregory and Elizabeth. I fear my actions will lead others to take revenge on my family, as they have done already with those who have allied themselves with me. _

'_I don't need protecting, Thomas,' she sighs returning to my arms, 'nor do I need a martyr for a husband,'_

_She puts her hands on the side on my face and guides me to her, so that once again we are stood face to face. _

'_God understands your conscious, Thomas. He understands your actions,' she whispers, bring herself as close as she can to me, 'promise me you will not trouble yourself,'_

_I smile, as I wrap my arms round her waist. Her words, as always bring me comfort and as I lean forward to kiss her, I feel strangely at peace._

'_Mummy! Dada!' cheers Kate, running back into the room, carrying two jam tarts, one with a massive bite taken out of it. She jumps up and down, as she hands me the untouched cake, 'that one's for you dada. I made it special,'_

'_Come Kate,' says Bathsheba, picking Kate up and heading for the stairs, 'let's get you cleaned and ready for bed,'_

_I kiss Kate lightly on the head and bide her goodnight with a smile, then take a bite out of the much man handled jam tart-God, I'm hungry, I have not eaten since breakfast. It actually tastes nice-Kate, thankfully, hasn't inherited her mother's cooking skills. _

'_Night, dada,' calls Kate, waving from her mother's arms, 'love you,' _

_Bathsheba pause as she gets to the top of the stairs and turns her head, smiling at me over her shoulder. I pause for a moment, before climbing the stairs, after them. The troubles from my mind are gone and all I desire is to be with my wife and daughter. _


	2. Chapter 2

(Big thanks to Angel More, GreenField and MrsPhantomSylvia and to everyone who read the first chapter. Please let me know what you think of this chapter, as I'm a bit unsure about it. Ps MrsPhantomSylvia, Noa is such a cool name for a girl-thanks for the suggestions)

**Dusseldorf, July 1546**

'Christ, Daniel,' I laugh, putting my comb back on the dresser and picking my six mouth old son up from the floor, 'Kate's right, you really are a stinky baby!'

I held him at arm's length, the smell was so bad and went to change his nappy. Daniel looked at me with a smug smile, as if to say, 'you don't like the way I smell, mother, then change me,'

Daniel had taken us all by surprise. All of us had been expecting another little girl to added to our family. No one had thought, even for a moment that I might by carrying a boy. Me and Thomas had talked of girl names, never thinking our child could be a son. I enjoyed my time with Daniel- it had been the first pregnancy that God had granted me complete peace. I had no worries as my belly grew and could just enjoy being with my family at this important time, but out of all my labours, Daniel was by far the worse. It had lasted almost two full days and when he had come, it had been the wrong way and the physician had had to cut me to help him on his journey. By the time Daniel arrived in this world, I was so tired that as I heard my baby's cries, I fell asleep on the sweat and blood drenched bed. It was not till later, when I found the strength to open my eyes, that Thomas, with a smile, told me we had a beautiful son.

I changed Daniel and then once again dressed him for church. I always found it strange, dressing my son in the same clothes I had dress my daughters when they were babies but he seemed happy enough, kicking around in his crisp white gown.

'There, now that's better,' I said, pitching him up and holding him against me, enjoying the now nice clean baby smell that came from him, 'now are you going to be good boy in church for your mummy and dada?'

'I'll try,' came a voice from behind me. I turned round and saw Gregory was stood in the corridor, smiling.

' Gregory,' I laughed, 'how long a have you been there?'

'Just arrived,' he said, 'I've got a message from father. He's has been called to see the Duke of Cleves, he told me to tell you, he'll meet us at the church,'

I smiled, trying not to show the slight disappointment I felt. Thomas had left before dawn, after receiving having received a message, whose contents had dragged him from our bed. I had hoped he would be home for breakfast but it seemed it was too much to ask. Though whenever I cursed Thomas' work, I always managed to cheer myself by the knowledge that at least I now knew he would come home to me and our children every night and without the fear of the axe was always hanging over his neck.

'How's my little brother?' asked Gregory brightly, as he came over to us and took his brother from my arms, ( though, where Gregory must be the spitting image of his mother, Daniel took after his father). He swung Daniel up in the air and then caught him, causing Daniel to gurgle with glee.

'He's getting bigger every day,' I said with laughter, 'and stronger, throws a good right hook now,'

'Good,' said Gregory, holding Daniel up in the air and looked at him in detail, 'finally a son father can be proud of,'

'Gregory,' I sighed, confused by Gregory's words, 'your father is proud of you,'

'You have to say that, Bathsheba' he replied, looking over at me with a small smile, 'strictly speaking, you are my mother,'

I felt sorry for Gregory, though I could not understanding where his words had come from. I never knew he felt this way-Gregory always seemed so happy with his life, especially when he was with Elizabeth and their chilren. And besides, he and Thomas had always been close, I could tell that the first time I saw them together. Thomas had always spoken so proudly of his son and had never once said anything harsh about him.

'Your father is very proud of you, ,' I said, taking Daniel from Gregory, 'I could see it the first time he told me about you. Also less of the mother, I'm only a few years older than you,'

'No,' he replied quietly, looking at the floor as he did so, 'father's always wanted a son that's clever and a fighter, not one he has to employ as his secretary,'

'Gregory,' I answered, wrapping Daniel up in a shawl as I did so, 'there is nothing wrong with being a secretary, lord knows I sometimes wish your father had stayed as one. He is proud of you and I don't say this because I'm his wife, I say it because it's the truth,'

'I suppose your right,' laughed Gregory, looking back at me with cheer once again in his face. I was just about to say there was no supposing, when we suddenly heard screams and shouts coming from the front of the house, followed by footsteps rushing up the stairs and a flustered Frau Schwartz appeared at the door.

'You better coming outside, Lady Cromwell,'

* * *

'Congratulations, Lord Cromwell!' I said sharply to Thomas, as we met him on the steps of the church. He lent forward to kiss me on the cheek but soon thought better of it, as he saw the look of thunder on my face, 'your daughter has just committed her first murder!'

'Pardon,' answered Thomas, looking confused, as with my free hand I pulled Kate forward. She tried to struggle from my grip but despite holding Daniel in one hand, I managed to stop her escaping.

'Your daughter, after being told she was not allowed out of our garden, has shot one of our neighbours deer's,' I was trying to keep my voice level but it was not working, 'I have just had to spend an hour persuading them not to sue us,'

'Kate,' sighed Thomas, shaking his head from side to side, 'how many times have I told you, your only allowed to use the bow and arrows when I'm there with you,'

'I'm sorry, dada,' answered Kate, all wide eyed and innocent, 'but Hans said that because I'm a girl, I must be a rubbish shot, so I wanted to prove him wrong and technically, I was still in our garden-I shot the deer whilst hanging out of one of our trees!'

'Kate...'

'Morning, dada,' chirped Lily-Anna, coming along with Gregory and holding on to her nephew Henry's hand. There was only a month between the two of them, with Henry being the older of the two and when the two of them were together, they were inseparable.

'Good morning, grandfather,' joined in Henry, looking how I imagined Gregory must have looked at his age.

'Morning little one and my favourite grandson,' said Thomas, with a smile, as he ruffled Lily-Anna auburn curls. Lily-Anna kissed her father on the cheek, before her, Henry and Gregory went into the church.

'I hear someone's been causing trouble,' Elizabeth smiled, as she and her daughters, Frances and Catherine, who was sleeping in her mother's arms, joined us on the steps.

'I'll give you one guess, who it is?' I said, casting a sharp look at Kate, who was still looking the picture of innocence in her fine little green dress and hood, but it was her wide dark eyes that always did the trick.

'I didn't mean to Lizzie,' she pleaded, 'I was just standing up for myself...I don't see why it matters mummy, both you and dada hate Baron Fatface!'

'Kate!'

'Lady Cromwell!' cried an English voice, from the crowds of people making their way to the Sunday service. A very pretty young woman, in her early twenties, came rushing through the mass of people towards us, waving her hands frantically as she did so. She had a very small frame, which was clothed in a dress that seemed more suited for a party, then church and her hair was hanging wildly around her. I didn't recognize her at first, though she seem familiar, especially the way she played with her lose hair.

'Lady Cromwell,' she squeaked, 'don't you recognize me? I'm Katherine Howard, remember...well I'm Katherine Culpepper now!'

Katherine Howard, yes I did remember. The girl, who when barely a woman, had caught the King's eye, almost causing him to end his marriage with Queen Anne and Thomas' life with it. I held nothing against the poor girl, but certainly had no desire to be her friend.

'Of course,' I said trying to smile, as once again Daniel and Kate tried to escape my grasp. Thomas, thankfully, took Daniel from my arms, 'what are you doing here?'

'Well,' she giggled, 'my husband has been instructed by the King to make sure every comfort is in place for when the Queen and Prince Arthur and Princess Margaret visit...I must say I don't very much like it here, everyone in so dower and they all speak strangely,'

'They're speaking German,' said Elizabeth, very harshly, her eyes shooting darts at this woman.

'Yes, German,' she laughed, producing a fan and tapping Daniel on the nose, much to his annoyance, 'Your baby is so cute, Lady Cromwell. I hope we can be great friends, while I stuck here!'

'I see your wife's got you well trained, Lord Cromwell,' said a man, joining our little group. I guessed this man must be Culpepper. He was very handsome, that was true-he and Katherine seemed well suited in looks but he, unlike Katherine, who seemed naive more than anything, was very smug and his eyes oozed with arrogance . As he stood with us, I felt Thomas' arm round my waist and he pulled me and Kate towards him, causing me to sense that something was not right.

'You see Culpepper,' answered Thomas, his tone flat, 'I have not seen my family this morning, as I was dragged from my bed at first light, to sort out an incident between you and a tavern keeper!'

'I'd have thought you'd have been use to dealing with tavern brawls, Cromwell,' he smiled, his face suddenly seeming sinister, 'given your background...come Katherine,'

'Bye, bye,' waved Katherine with her white lace fan, as her husband clicked his fingers and she followed him like a puppy dog, 'you must come and visit soon,'

'I hate that man,' mumbled Thomas, his eyes darkening as they followed the couple into the church.

'You can tell she not had three children!' snapped Elizabeth, before marching into the church with Kate sneaking off behind her, hoping that she had escaped her parents, forgetting that we have eyes in the back of our heads.

'Kate,' called Thomas, causing her to stop, 'we'll have a little talk later,'

'Ok, dada,' she smiled, doing a little bob of a curtsey before disappearing into the church. I laughed. I knew Thomas would not tell her off. He never told any off our children off- well not what I would class as a telling off, anyway.

'Who was that, mummy?' asked Maddie, coming up the stair, in the company of William Lacy, the son of a well off English merchant, who had much business in the city. He was the same age as Maddie, which was now thirteen, but Maddie over the past few month's had started to change into a woman, making both me and Thomas very protective off her.

'Master Lacy,' asked Thomas, his voice still sounding cold and hard, 'I don't recall giving you permission to see my daughter. I trust your parents have been with the two of you the whole time?'

'O....of....co...course....Lor...d....Crom...well,' stuttered the poor young lad, clearly trembling with fear, 'the...their...over...the..re,'

'Well, I suggest you go and join them,' remarked Thomas, handing me back Daniel. William did what he was told, running back to his parents as fast as his legs would let him without even saying goodbye to poor Maddie, who was now scowling at me and Thomas.

'Father,' said Maddie, trying to sound grown up, 'he's my friend!'

'He is also a thirteen year old boy,' answered Thomas, leading the four of us up the stairs, 'and having been one, I know I do not want my daughter round one!'

'So, Thomas,' I remarked, as we got to the church door, 'what do thirteen year old boys get up to,'

* * *

'Thomas,' I said, undoing the ribbons of my dress and letting it fall to the floor, 'I think you need to speak with your son,'

Thomas looked up from our bed, where he was sat reading through some papers, with Daniel lying next to him, his face mimicking Thomas' expression of concentration as he tried to stick his little foot in his mouth.

'Do we Daniel?' Thomas smiled, raising an eyebrow, as he put down his papers and picked up his young son, 'and what do we need to discuss? The political situation in Scotland perhaps?'

'Gregory, Thomas,' I sighed, slipping my night gown over my head and pulling the cotton grown down around me.

'Gregory,' asked Thomas, looking over at me, his face full of concern in the candle light 'why?'

'He thinks you're not proud of him?' I answered, sitting down at my dresser and running a comb through my hair. I wasn't sure if it was right breaking Gregory's confidence like this but I felt bad that he should think that his father respecting him less, just because he hadn't set the world alight.

'Not proud of him,' repeat Thomas, getting off the bed and still holding Daniel in his arms, came to stand behind me. In the reflection of the glass, I could see the look of worry in Thomas' eyes, 'of course I'm proud of him. Why would he think otherwise?'

'Well, it can't be easy having Thomas Cromwell for a father,' I smiled, getting to my feet. I took Daniel from Thomas' arms and placed him down in his cot, 'just promise me you'll talk to him,

'I promise,' answered Thomas, placing an arm round my hip and kissing me gently on the head. I snuggled against him as we watched our baby son drift off to sleep. Then from down the corridor, came an ear piercing scream, that made my blood run cold.

* * *

The screams came from Maddie's chamber and by the time me and Thomas had made it to her room, Kate and Lily-Anna were stood in the corridor. Lily-Anna was half asleep, her sleepy head resting on the door frame, but Kate was fully awake and jumping around on the spot.

'Kate, what's happened!' I almost screamed at her, as I ran down the corridor to them.

'Maddie's bleeding,' she cried, a mixture of concern and excitement in her voice. I with Thomas, made it towards the bedroom door, terror filling my veins as we did so-what had happened to our little girl?

'Lady Cromwell,' said Frau Schwartz, meeting us at Maddie's chamber door, a small smile on her red lips, 'you better come with me...No, Lord Cromwell, I think you should go back to bed. These things are not for the likes of men,'

* * *

I found Maddie sat up in bed, hugging her knees as she rocked back and forwards crying. I ran over to her, heart skipping a beat as I saw my daughter in so much distress. I threw my arms round her should, pulling her to me and kissed her on the top of her head.

'Maddie,' I said, trying to sound calm, 'what's happened?'

'You promised, mummy,' she cried on to my shoulder, 'you promised that there would only be a little bit of blood. You said I would hardly notice it, but it's everywhere, mummy and it won't stop,'

I looked down at my daughter and then at the bed sheets, blots of red all over them, leading in a trail to my daughter. Gently, I pushed down her knees and saw her night dress also had large stains of blood on.

'Oh, Maddie,' I smiled, realising my eldest daughter was no longer simply a child and hugged her, 'everything will be fine, I promise you,'

* * *

'Everything ok,' asked Thomas, as I came back to our chamber, wiping tears from my eyes. I had managed to calm Maddie down, and with Frau Schwartz's help, we had cleaned Maddie, changed the bed linen and put her back to bed. As I watched her fall asleep, I had felt tears start to well up in my eyes as I found it hard to believe where the years had gone-was my little girl really almost a woman? I also cried because I missed Alys, who had stayed in England to be with her family, as she would know the right thing to say and because I recalled the day my courses started, remembering my mother shaking in terror over what my father would do, if he found out.

'Our little girl just growing up,' I smiled, getting into bed beside him. Thomas look at me confused for a moment but as it dawned on him what had happened, he banged his head, which had gone slightly green, (why do men find these matters of nature so repulsive?), on the headboard.

'Christ,' he groan, putting his head in his hands, 'right from now on, no boy is allowed within a mile of her and if that Lacy boy comes anywhere near her again, I'll kill him,'

'Thomas,' I laughed, putting my arms round his neck, 'she's a sensible girl,'

'I know that. It's men I do not trust!'

'I doubt very much any boy would even so much as breath within ten miles of one of our daughters. Poor William, starts shaking at even the mention of your name,'

'Good!'

'Thomas!'

'Sorry,' he sighed, 'I'm just not use to handling daughters. Sons are easy to deal with. You just drum it into them that they are responsible for their actions. That women are not playthings,'

'So,' I said, playing with a small curl of his hair that hanged just by his ear, 'you told Gregory that it was wrong to sleep with the maids?'

'Of course,' answered Thomas, firmly, before it dawned on him what I had just said. He smiled, as he put his arms round my waist and pulled me on to his lap, 'but what happened between us was different. I was not some irresponsible youth and more importantly, I did ad still do love you,'

He put his lips on top of my mine and I welcomed him, hungrily, as passion ran through me and I felt goose bumps spring up over my body.

'You never answered my question from this morning,' I teased as our lips parted, 'what do thirteen year old boys think about?'

'It's probably best you don't know,' he smiled. With one of my hands, I took one of Thomas arms away from waist, placed his hand on my knee, before guiding it up to the top of my thigh, pulling my night dress away with it.

'Maybe,' I whispered, 'but do you know what I'm think, Lord Cromwell?'

'Bathsheba, we can't,' he laughed, ' Daniel,'

'He's fast asleep, Thomas. We'll just have to be quiet, that's all,' I said, as any protest Thomas had, suddenly went with him pulling off my night grown and laying me down on the bed, returning his lips to mine as I pulled him down on top of me.


	3. Chapter 3

(Thanks once again for all the reviews-I'm glade everyone loving Kate-I have a nice scene between her and Thomas planned for later in the story. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter)

We made love, as quietly as we could-which wasn't that quietly, into the late hours, before falling asleep in each others arms. Much time didn't seem to pass, in between me closing my eyes and Daniel's waking me up with his cries. It was early morning and the rising sun had started to shine through the shutters on to our bed, as our son screamed away. I closed my eyes at first, hoping that Thomas, who was usually a light sleeper, would go and see to him but no such luck. Thomas remained fast asleep, despite his son's cries.

'There, there, Daniel' I mumbled, wriggling out from under Thomas' arm and climbing sleeply out of bed. I fumbled around for my night dress, which was lying on the floor where Thomas had tossed it last night, slipped it on over my head and went over to my baby son, 'come now, Daniel. Big boys don't cry,'

Feeling a bit more awake, I picked up my little boy and checked him over. He didn't smell and wasn't wet, so he didn't need changing. I had feed him before I put him to bed, so it was too earlier for him to be demanding food.

'You just want attention, don't you,' I smiled, feeling more awake, as my son seemed to nodded his head in agreement, 'come on then, let's go back to bed,'

Cradling him in my arms, I climbed back into bed. The sun was fighting to get through the shutters now and the room was starting to fill with light. I looked down at my young son and felt the smile on my face grow bigger. Since we'd left England, I had felt nothing but peace. I had feared nothing in the pasted five years. For the first time, I could kissed Thomas goodbye every morning, knowing that he would return to me and our children later that night. For the first time, I had gone through a pregnancy in complete peace, no worries stalking my mind. For the first time in my life, I had found complete peace.

'No,' I heard Thomas groan, as he rolled on to his side, taking most the blanket with him. I took my sight away from Daniel and turn to my husband, who was rolling around beside me. Thomas was always a light sleeper. I had noticed that on the first night we spent together- as he held me tightly to him, I could sense that he slept as if he expected to be awaken at any moment, 'no, no, no'

'Thomas,' I whispered, gently, taking an arm away from Daniel, who wears his father's look of puzzlement on his round baby face, and placed it on Thomas' shoulder, 'Thomas,'

'No,' Thomas cried, this time much louder, causing me to jump. He thrashes around frantically, kicking the blanket off the bed and just missing me. I tried once again to wake him, but with no luck. Finally, he calmed, returning to the pillow beside me and placed an arm round my lower waist. As I felt him snuggle against my body, I hear him mumble.

'All for Christ,'

* * *

'So what does Cecily have to say for herself,' asked Thomas, with a small look of disapproval on his face, as he looked at me across the table. A letter from Cecily had arrived by a travelling student late last night after we had all gone to bed and one of the servants had left it on the table, ready for me to read in the morning. My reading had improved greatly over the years, as was my German and Latin, so it didn't take me long to finish it, as I ate breakfast with Thomas and Daniel-all the girls were still fast asleep.

'She asks if the children are in good health,' I answered with a little laugh, 'she must be going soft, she even asks how you are!'

'Does she?'

'Well she doesn't actually mention you be name but at least she's stopped calling you that creature...' I missed Cecily, despite our many differences and her hatred of poor Thomas, she was the only one who understood the pain of my early years, 'Thomas, next time we go to France, can we go and see her,'

'You can. I doubt the Poor Clares would welcome me...It's time I should be on my way,' said Thomas, swallowing a mouthful of food as he got up from the table. He came over to where I was sat, bouncing Daniel up and down on my knee and kneeled down beside us.

'Do you have to go,' I smiled, already knowing the answer, as Daniel held out his arms to his father, 'look, Daniel wants his father to spend the day with him,'

'God knows, I wish I could,' murmured Thomas, taking Daniel, 'now you be a good boy and look after your mother for me?'

Daniel gave a serious squeal, as he shook his head up and down in a way that looked like he understood his father. I looked at the two of them and felt my heart almost skip a beat, as I remembered Thomas words this morning. 'All for Christ,'-the last word of John Lambert, the Protestant martyr. It had been almost ten years since he was burnt to death and in my happiness, I had pushed it to the back of my mind. Thomas, like with most things that happened in court, hadn't told of what was to happen to his old friend. I heard of the burning, from the street gossips -_there goes the devil's wife, do you know she use to be a nun before she started warming his bed, he signed that poor bastard's death warrant himself, he must be evil-what kind of creature sentences an old friend to the fires. _I knew Thomas felt guilt over this, even though he would try and hide it. Despite what others thought, I know my husband is no monster. I knew he was plagued by doubts-I'd seen him troubled many times over the years. Many nights, I would stand at his office door and watch him work over the papers scattered on his desk, his face a mixture of worry and strain, which would disappear into a smile the moment he saw me standing there. But Poor John Lambert was a long time ago, why would Thomas be uttering his words now-not that he seemed worried, as he passed it off as a bad dream.

'Are you ok, Bathsheba?' asked Thomas, placing a hand on the side of my face. I laughed, as I saw that both he and Daniel were wearing the same concerned expression, pushing my worries to the back of my mind.

'I'm fine,' I laughed, 'I'm more than fine,'

We kissed but just as our lips met, the door opened and Maddie stomped, in that adolescent way of hers, into the room.

'Do you to have to?' she moaned, 'you are both too old for doing that sort of thing!'

'Morning Maddie,' answered Thomas with a small laugh, 'and for your understanding, I am too old but your mother is certainly not,'

Maddie mumbled something to herself before asking, 'may I be allowed to see William today, father?'

'Only if you are accompanied by an armoured guard,' smiled Thomas, 'I'll see you all later,'

As I heard Thomas leave, I started to yawn, stretching my free arm as I did so, while the other held on to Daniel.

'Tired, mother,' asked Maddie, helping herself to a chunk of bread and some butter.

'Yes,' I smiled, my eyelids starting to feel heavy, 'Daniel got me up at daybreak again,'

'Well,' she said, talking through a mouthful of bread and butter but trying to act like an adult at the same time, 'if Daniel's going to get you up early, then maybe you should stop letting father keep you up most of the night,'

I looked at my daughter, not sure how to answer her sarcastic comment. I choose to ignore it, putting it down to the changes her body was going through but my mind was full of the thoughts of what happened to the sweet little girl, who use to quote Thomas More at me.

* * *

'I'm sorry, Lady Cromwell,' called Monsieur Dumas, matching into the garden, his grey hair, (despite being only a few years older than me) flying around him, 'but I resign, I cannot take another moment of this,'

'What's happened now,' I sighed, getting to my feet. It was so hot outside and me and Daniel had been playing in the garden with a bucket of water, splashing water at each other in the hot sun while the girls did their lessons-until their tutor had come charging into the garden and was now standing in front of me, his face bright red.

'I have taught in almost every European court, Lady Cromwell,' he ranted at me, 'I even taught the Dauphin of France,'

'Yes,' I said, trying to smile as I picked Daniel up from the grass, which he trying to eat, 'that's one of the reasons me and my husband hired you for our daughters,'

I had hoped by smiling and trying to remain calm, that I would stop Monsieur Dumas from walking out of our employment-after all it had worked before. On the occasion when Kate had walked out of her lessons because she found them boring and the day Kate had disagreed with his view on Machiavelli and the day Kate...

'Your daughter is unteachable!' he almost screamed in his French accent, causing my ear drums to almost break, 'I have never known a brat so stubborn, so argumentative and so contradictory!'

I looked at him, my smile now gone. No one called a child of mine a brat! I had had to listen to this man complaints against Kate from the moment he arrived. Unlike Maddie and Lily-Anna, who would sit and eagerly listen, Kate would ask questions and argue. Maybe Kate didn't know when to stop asking questions but that was no excuse for the times he had shouted at me because of her. He never went to Thomas with his complaints, knowing full well he would be out of job within seconds of him opening his mouth and would probably never be able to find employment again.

'What has my daughter actually done?' I asked, my eyes glaring at him, as my three daughters appeared in the garden, Maddie scowling, Kate very disinterested and Lily-Anna looking concerned as she bite her finger nails.

'She is a disgrace!' he squawked, waving a finger at Kate, who was now sat on the grass, picking at the wild flowers and showing them to Lily-Anna, 'I have taught Latin in every court in Europe and never, never have I had criticized in such a disgusting manor as it was by her!'

'So the problem is, is that you can't stand your teaching being questioned by a nine year old girl!'

'Yes!' he said firmly, sticking his pointy chin. I glared back him hard, as it dawn on him what I said, 'no what I mean is...'

'Kate,' I continue, 'as I assume its Kate, who your complaint is with, likes to question things. It's her way of learning, in the same way Maddie leanings by reading and Lily-Anna by listening and if you cannot handle that, then you may leave,'

'I can handle it, Lady Cromwell,'

'But you just said,'

'What I meant is,' he said, in a lot more calmer tone now, 'is that the girl needs a bit of discipline,'

'Yet, you never suggest this to my husband,' I continue, feeling my face fall into a scowl, 'I wonder why that would be...tell me what did Kate actually say when she criticized your Latin,'

'She um...well she,' he mumbled quietly to himself, 'she said I had the words mixed up,'

'Me and my husband employed you as we were understood that you were one of the finest tutors in Europe,' my voice was hard as I spoke, as I had had enough of this little man, 'however it seems that we were wrong. Monsieur Dumas, I want you out of my house within the hour and don't expect references from either me or Lord Cromwell. Now, I hear Roger Ascham is currently free, I think I will write to him and ask if he would like to teach my daughters-the Queen of England has often spoken very highly of him,'

I watched as Monsieur Dumas turned an even brighter shade of red, before he kicked over the bucket that me and Daniel had been playing with, sending water everywhere and soaking the hem of my dress. Rolling my eyes, I couldn't believe this man was once in the employment of the King of France-he threw worse tantrums than any of my children.

'Fine,' he screamed, 'I can do better than your feral brats! I was destine to teach the children of nobility, not the offspring of some tavern keeper and his common wench!'

'Get out of my sigh!' I shouted, 'and believe me, once my husband knows all about this, you will have to beg the parents of street urchins to let you teach them!'

He stormed away and I bite on my wrist in rage, as sat back down on the rug with Daniel.

'Sorry, mummy,' said Kate, sweetly, holding on to Lily-Anna hand, 'I just...'

'Its fine, Kate,'

'No it's not fine,' snapped Maddie, her hands on her hips as her mouth pouted, 'whose going to teach us now!'

'I'll find someone,' I sighed, not wanting to argue. Maddie stuck her head up in the air, turned on her heels and went back to the house-surely I was not like that when I was thirteen but then we had had different lives.

'Kate,' I asked, 'why don't you and Lily-Anna go and play for a while,'

'Ok, mummy,' they said in unison, before running down to the other end of the garden. I picked up Daniel, who once again had fists full of grass in his hands, and placed him on my knee.

'Oh dear,' I said, kissing him on his head, 'what's mummy going to do?'

As I rocked my son in my arms, I heard the sound a man's boots heavy on the dry ground. I groaned as I thought it was Monsieur Dumas, back for another argument-probably about his wages, but as I looked up, I saw a stranger coming towards me.

'Excuse me, Lady Cromwell,' he said, as I looked up at him, trying to see if I knew who he was. He about the same age as Thomas, and was dressed in much the same manor, though he was more fair in appearance. His voice was soft, with the hint of a West Country accent.

'I'm sorry,' I smiled, as he seemed kind and I didn't want to appear rude, 'but my husband is not at home. He is at court today,'

'You do not recognize me, do you Bathsheba,' he smiled, whilst mine disappeared as I heard him speak my Christain name, 'it's me, Edmund West, your cousin!'

* * *

'No,' I said, almost shaking, 'no you can't be. I have no cousin!'

'I know this must be quite a shock to you, Lady Cromwell,' he smiled kindly at me, 'but it's true, I'm Roger's son-you must remember me?'

Did I remember? I didn't know. No he couldn't be-I had no family, before I had my husband and children. It was just me, after my mother took the blame for my father's death. I had no one. All my mother's family died of the plague, years before I was born and my father-wait, they had been alive! My father had had an older brother called Roger, who unlike my father, was good at business and done well in life-was it in cloth or wine- I don't remember. I recall my father, shouting one day, if only he had married well, like his brother, instead of some farmer's trollop. I also recalled, my mother one winter when times where hard, taking me begging to this wealth house, who she said belonged to family. But I recalled no son, but there could have been one?

'Mummy,' said Kate, firmly, standing at my side, 'do you want me to get this man to leave! One word to my father, sir and you'll be rotting in the dungeons for the rest of your life'

'Kate,' I whispered to her, handing her Daniel, 'take your brother and sister inside for me,'

'Mummy...'

'Kate, please do what your told for once,'

She didn't argue this time and took Daniel and Lily-Anna back to the house, leaving me alone with this strange, who claimed to be my family. I had thought little on the past, these last few years and when I did, it was only to remember my mother. But now it all came flooding back. The poverty, the hurt, the pain and the violence, all brought back to me by this stranger.

'She and the boy must take after Lord Cromwell,' he said kindly, 'but your youngest girl looks just like you and Katherine,'

'You leave my poor mother out of this,' I snapped, 'now get out of my sight this instant, unless you want to wait for my husband to escort you off our property! And if its money you want, you're not get a single penny, not off me and certainly not off Thomas!'

I tried to walk away but he gently grabbed hold of hand and fell on his knees before me.

'I promise you, upon my honour, I do not want money,' he pleaded, tears starting to appear in his eyes, 'I know this sounds strange and I should have come earlier, but I lost my wife and children recently-all of them taken within a week of each other. I've been feeling so lonely since their deaths and in desperate need family. Please believe me-you'll all have left, Bathsheba'

His eyes were the same cloudy blue of my father's and my head screamed, turn this man away but for some reason in my heart, long for his words to be true.


	4. Chapter 4

(It Thomas' turn again and Angel More, your not the only one whose doesn't trust this cousin-hope you all enjoy :))

'_Dada,' cries Kate, running into the yard to greet me. I jump off the horse and my daughter throws her arms round my waist and hugs me, 'dada, I'm so glad your home-I do not trust this man! His eyes are too close together!'_

_I kiss her gently on the head. I do not trust this man either! I received a message from home just as I finished my audience with the Duke of Cleves, telling me that a man had turn up on our doorstep, claiming to be Bathsheba's cousin-I knew straightaway that this man must not be what he seems. Her family are dead! And even if his story is true, where was he when she need him? Where was he when her father abused her? When she was left alone in this world? When she was homeless and with child? Where was he when she needed him? _

'_No Kate,' I mutter, kneeing down in front of her, 'neither do I. Now where's your mother?'_

'_In the parlour, dada,' she says, taking hold of my hand as I get to my feet and we walk to the house._

'_And Maddie, Lily-Anna and Daniel?'_

'_Upstairs with Frau Schwartz,' she answers, pointing at the stairs as we go through the door, 'do you want me join them?'_

'_Yes, Kate,'_

_She lets go of my hand and starts to climb the stairs. As she goes slowly up the stairs, I head towards the parlour, not knowing how I will find Bathsheba but knowing full well what I'll do to that man once I get my hands on him. _

'_Dada,' calls Kate, faintly, 'mummy hasn't stop crying since that man got here...If you need help getting rid of him, give me a shout!'_

'_Thank you, Kate,' I smile briefly at my daughter's words, before storming down the corridor to the parlour._

* * *

'_Thomas,' cries Bathsheba, as I throw open the door to the parlour. She runs over to me and rests her head on my shoulder. I forget the anger I felt, as I see the redness of Bathsheba's green eyes and as I slip my arms round her waist, her body shake's as I do so._

'_You've been crying?' I ask, already knowing the answer. She nods in agreement and I kiss her gently on the forehead. I hate seeing her like this, she looks so pale and frightened-I swore on our first night together I would never let anything harm her and I will keep that promise until my dying breath._

'_Sorry, Lord Cromwell,' a male voice breaks my attention away from my wife, 'I'm afraid it was my fault,'_

_I look up, away from Bathsheba and at the man who has caused her heartache. He is well dressed, but plain. Yet, that is hardly a sign of honesty and Kate is right, his eyes are too close together. He's smiling- he seems too sure of himself. He offers me his hand._

'_I do not know what your game is,' I say, ignoring his hand and holding Bathsheba closer to me, 'but you leave my family out of it,'_

'_Thomas, please,' whispers Bathsheba, her body still shaking as she speaks._

'_Lord Cromwell,' this man continues, in the same confident manor, 'I understand you are concerned for your wife, lord knows if I was in your shoes, I would feel exactly the same way,'_

'_Then you understand why I want you out of my house this instant,' I glare at him as I speak, wanting him to know that I mean every word._

'_Thomas,' pleads Bathsheba, moving away from my arms, 'please just listen to him,'_

_I watch as she walks away from me and over to the window. She stands there, her back to me, her shoulders hunch over and her body still trembling, as if she is shivering in the cold, except the sun is shining on her; Bathsheba is crying again, but this time because of me._

'_Right,' I say, keeping my voice as neutral as I can, as I feel guilt run threw me for causing Bathsheba's tears to restart, 'Bathsheba would like me to listen to you, so I am listening,'_

_He gives a little nod and goes back to his seat. He must be the same age as me, so he wasn't a child then when Bathsheba was going through hell. If his story is true, then he could have looked after her, when she was in need of help._

'_My name is Edmund West. I'm the only child of Roger and Mary West. Roger was the older brother of William West, who was Bathsheba's father,'_

_Both of us look over to Bathsheba, who gives a little nod of her head. So this part is true but I have found in my many years, that just because someone has the right name, does not make them trustworthy people._

'_So you have the right name,' I say, staring straight at him, as I sit down near him, 'but over the years, I have learnt that having the right name, is not enough to trust someone,'_

'_I agree with you, Lord Cromwell,' answers this man, his eyes staring straight into mine, which makes me slightly uneasy but I continue to meant his gaze, 'it's reputations you must trust,'_

'_You are obviously well educated and come from money,' I remark, before choosing my words carefully, so as not to hurt Bathsheba, 'not the sort thing you expect from a brothel keeper's nephew,'_

'_Bathsheba said exactly the same thing,' he smiles, looking over at her. God, I hate the way he says her Christian name, 'but Lord Cromwell, you of all people should know that with strength and conviction a man, who is born humble, can rise high in this world,' _

_He certainly knows the right words to say, but I am not one who falls for flattery. I just stare at him, expecting him to stutter, but he continues._

'_My father was a lot like you,' he continues, 'he started off as an appendance to a cloth merchant in Gloucester and within ten years, he had taken over the business. He was clever, my father and marry my mother, with her connection, helped him greatly. He was one of the richest man in the West Country by the time he died,'_

_I think back to my time in England. Yes, I did recall a Roger West and he was remarkably wealthy, but it never occurred to me that he could be linked to Bathsheba. After all, wouldn't a man of that social standing want to help his less fortunate relatives. _

'_Yet,' I mutter, getting to my feet and going over to my wife, 'neither you or your wonderful father did anything to help your cousin and her mother,'_

_I look at Bathsheba. She does not move, only a small tear runs down her cheek. I slipper an arm round her waist but she still does not move._

'_My father and his brother did not get on,' he shakes his head from side to side, looking at the floor, 'as you know, Bathsheba's father was a hard man, an angry man. He squandered the money he had and blamed those around him with his fists. My father refused to have anything to do with him,'_

'_Turn his back on the brother, yes,' I say, turning to look back at him, 'but not on the innocent. Do you know what he use to do to his wife and child?'_

'_Thomas, don't,' whispers Bathsheba. She does not like others to know the pain of her childhood, the same way I do not like people to know about mine. The only person I feel I can share those troubles with is Bathsheba. _

'_I remember her mother, Katherine bring her to our house, one Christmas, begging my father and mother for help. But they were turned away,' _

'_My father was a bastard,' I say, as hard as I can, 'He did not deserve to live, but once I was free of him, I did not desert my mother and my sisters. I helped my mother escape from him, I gave them money, I found them homes, their families jobs-I did not abandon them,'_

'_You are right to be critical of me, Lord Cromwell,' he continues, 'I should have helped. I was home from Cambridge that winter-I should have made my parents help them. But they could be hard, in their own way, they would have cut off my funds and stopped me returning to Cambridge...actually we where there at the same time,'_

_I turn back to look at him. I study him even more closely than before. He talks as if I should remember him but I don't. There is nothing about him that makes me place him Cambridge, but the skull ring, he wears on his little finger looks familiar-that is off little importance, most people wear in memory of their loss-I wear one._

'_I do not remember you,' I answer, critically, 'should I?'_

'_I don't expected you to,' he say, getting to his feet, 'your tastes were a little too reformist for me, shall we say,'_

_So is this his game? Has he been sent by the papists? If Bathsheba was not standing here, almost in tears, I'd have thrown him out of the house long ago._

'_I remember you. I use to see you round the taverns with John Lambert, Robert Barnes, Matthew Ward, Thomas Thorne, James Carter. It was tragic what happened to some of them, no one deserves a death like that,'_

_He is right. Neither John nor Robert deserved the deaths that they were given, but that is in the past now-I cannot change it. I can just about recall Matthew, last I heard he was a lawyer in Durham. As for Thomas and James, my memory fails me, except that James use to have a habit that greatly annoyed me but even that I cannot recall! I must be getting old._

'_That's all very well, but you still have not told me why you are here, causing my wife much heartache,'_

_He looks at the floor, briefly and takes a deep breath, before walking over to where a plain wooden cross sits above the fire place._

'_As I was telling Bathsheba, Lord Cromwell,' he sighs, looking up at the cross, 'last October, I lost my wife and children. First God took my children, Eddie, Maria and Joan, then my dear Rosamund, who heart was by then so broken, she simply surrendered her life,'_

_His story, if true, is heartbreaking. I know the pain of watching your family slip away from you, only too well, but I have never let emotions get in the way of my judgement._

'_I was so lonely, I'm not afraid to admit that. I asked God daily for help. Then one day, as I was clearing out my study, I found this,'_

_He turns back to us and holds up a bit of aged paper. I leave Bathsheba and go over to him, snatching it from his hand. I open it, with probably a lot more force than the damaged paper can take. It a legal document, that signs all of deceased William West's property, a tavern call The Tam Lin, (Bathsheba's home), over to his brother, Roger._

'_It was then I remembered, I was not alone. I had family,' he smiles, looking over to Bathsheba, 'I knew what had become of that little girl, my father turned away. Everyone knew that Bathsheba West married King Henry's most loyal servant. I saw the both of you once, when I was in London on business. You were walking to St Paul's, your little girl was walking between you both, holding on to your hands. Bathsheba looked just like her mother. I stood in the street and watched the three of you pass, longing to find the courage to introduce myself to you both but I backed away,'_

'_But you found the courage this time,' I sneer, not liking the notion of someone watching my family._

'_Yes,' he continues, 'I needed to see the last member of my family,'_

_I look over to Bathsheba, who has a small smile on her tear stained faced, as she looks at his man and I feel my heart skip a beat._

'_Sir,' I stare straight at him as I speak, 'do you mind giving me and my wife a moment alone,'_

'_Of course,' he bows and leaves. I slowly go over to Bathsheba and place my arms round her. Thankfully, she returns to my arms and I enjoy feeling her body against me._

* * *

'_Thomas, don't be angry with me,' she says, looking at me with her poor green eyes, still beautiful despite being bloodshot._

'_Why would I be angry with you,' I whisper, kissing her gently on the lips, 'I'm angry with that man, for upsetting you,'_

'_He hasn't,' she says, pulling away from me, 'it was the memories he brought back that have caused my tears,'_

'_So,' I ask, sitting down in the window seat, hiding my hurt, 'do you believe him,'_

'_I want to,' she answers, her voice still sounding weak, 'you have to admit Thomas, that it sounds true,'_

'_And you want it to be true?' _

_I do not trust this man, but I do not want to hurt my Bathsheba. I know the pain she went through when she was a child and I do not want her going through it again._

'_Thomas,' she smiles, joining me on the seat and taking hold of my hand, 'every year I have spent with you have been the happiest of my life. I would go through every beating my father gave me, just to spend one day with you. You have helped me become free of the belief that I was punished for what I did to my father. I do believe he is my cousin, he even knew my mother's maiden name and I want to believe he is here not for money but for family. He needs help, Thomas, the way I once did,'_

_She rests her head on my shoulder as she speaks. I slip an arm round her waist and pull her closer to me. For a long time, we sit in silence and my mind wonders back to last night, with images of us being together, without any worries as we made love. I recall her gasping, 'I love you,' as she clings to me. I cannot let anyone hurt her, but I most certainly cannot hurt her._

'_That document does back up his story,' I sigh, 'very well, he can stay,'_

'_Thank you, Thomas,' she says, her face looking much brighter, 'and I promise, the moment I think anything is wrong, you can throw him out,'_

_We kiss and as I feel the warm body of my wife against mine, I hope to God that this man words are true, because Lord knows what I will do to him, if he hurts Bathsheba and our children._


	5. Chapter 5

(Thanks for the reviews. Have had real trouble with this chapter, please let me know what you think. Hope you enjoy)

'Oh and the Culpeppers will be dining with us tonight,' added Thomas, looking over some papers as the two of us ate breakfast.

'Oh no their not,' I replied, almost choking on a slice of apple as I did so, 'I'm not making small talk with that empty headed ninny and her rapist husband!'

In honesty, I had nothing against Katherine-it was the thought of having a man sat at my table, who had committed the worse crime a man could commit, that made my skin crawl; the man was of the same model of my father and I wanted him no where near my home.

'Bathsheba, please,' answered Thomas, getting up from the table, 'I do not like this any more than you do, Lord knows how the King can favour such an evil creature but I have orders,'

'Orders!' I shouted, 'what do you mean you have orders? Despite a sea between us, does the King still tell you, who you can and cannot dine with?'

'It's not that simple, Bathsheba!' answered Thomas, matching my voice as I too got to my feet, 'the King is old! The King wants to relive his youth, Culpepper does that for him. So if I'm not nice to Culpepper, he can write so to the King, which he has and the King's reply yesterday was that our life here hangs on a thread! And God knows what will happen to us if we are recalled to England,'

'So,' I said, a lot more calmly now, as my mind suddenly saw things a lot more clearly. We were under the 'protection' of that bastard- if we didn't do what the King wanted, all of us would be back in England. It had been six years, since I had had to face the prospect of losing my husband to the executioner's axe and I didn't want to relive it, 'we are once again puppets...Very well but I don't want that man anywhere near the girls,'

'I've already told Frau Schwartz that the girls are to eat and stay upstairs to night,' continued Thomas. Part of me was still angry, but I felt more frustrated than anything and as I looked at Thomas, his face trying to hide lines of worry my anger all put went.

'Can't we just go away somewhere,' I sighed, putting my arms round Thomas' neck, 'somewhere were the King can't find us,'

'Where would have us,' said Thomas, looking away from me. I felt frustration well up inside me, as his arms remained firmly by his side, instead of putting them around me.

'To the East maybe or to the land of the Sultans,' I answered, between kisses but Thomas still remain unresponsive, 'just you and me...'

'WAAAAAAAAAAA'

'Christ, you stink Daniel!'

'Kate, that's my hood!'

'Where's my hairbrush!'

'Just you, me, various children and grandchildren,' I laughed, waiting for Thomas to join me, but he just managed a small, distant smile.

'Oh, sorry,' said Edmund, as he came into the room and sat down at the table. He leant forward and helped himself to some bread and ham.

'Just help yourself to my food, why don't you,' muttered Thomas, walking away from me. It had been this way every time the two met for the last three weeks and I was getting feed up with it. On the first few days, I had shared some of Thomas' doubts, after all a man I had never met had turned up on my doorstep claiming to be my family, was something that made me feel uneasy, but as the days had gone by, I had forgotten my doubts. He was nice, he would talk to me about his wife and children and he would listen to my problems that I felt I couldn't share with Thomas. But as things between me and Edmund had got better, things between me and Thomas had gone almost cold.

'Thomas,' I sighed, 'please just leave it,'

'Please excuse me,' said Thomas, with the quickest of kisses on the cheek for me and a brief nod of the head to Edmund, before leaving for the court. As I heard the front door shut, I felt tears start to well in my eyes. Thomas had been so distant these past three weeks. Since Edmund's arrival, we had hardly spoke and when we did, it was always me who did the talking with Thomas answering in distant, small words.

'Your husband does not like me,' said Edmund, looking at the food on his plate, as I sat down at the table with him.

'My husband is very protective,' I answered, going back to my breakfast, 'he's just worried that's all,'

'It's understandable,' replied Edmund, 'having lost one family... Though I fear he will soon lose another,'

'You over step the mark,' I snapped, before feeling guilty, 'sorry, Thomas is just worried about the Queen visit, plus next week will be the anniversary of his first wife and their daughters deaths,'

Poor Thomas-maybe that was the reason he had been distant these past few days. He was always down around this time of year but never like this and he never ignored me.

'Mother,' said Maddie, coming into the room, with Lily-Anna and Kate following her, 'when is our new tutor going to be here?'

'Not for at least another two or three mouths,' I replied, hoping that Roger Ascham would soon answer my letter, 'we'll just have to make do till them,'

'Make do!'

'Yes, Maddie. Make do. Now eat your breakfast,'

'I could always help, Bathsheba,' said Edmund, kindly. I smiled, grateful for some help, as Lord know, all the girls were too clever for me to teach them and besides Daniel need me.

'If you really don't mind,'

'Of course not,' he answered, as Maddie smiled and Lily-Anna cheer-they both got on well with Edmund, 'it would be an honour,'

'Mummy,' said Kate with a scowl, 'why can't dada teach us?'

'Because your father is very busy with work,' I answered, hoping that was the reason for Thomas distance, 'now everyone eat your breakfast,'

* * *

'Thomas,' I asked, as I stood in front of the glass, 'can you help me?'

He looked up from where he was sat on our bed, putting on his boots. Still wearing that emotionless expression, he came over to me and took the ribbons from my hands. In truth, I didn't need help but it gave us a chance to talk.

'I can't help liking him Thomas,' I said, as I felt him tie me into my dress, 'I'm sure you would to, if you gave him a chance. Gregory likes him, the girls like him,'

'No,' he answered, standing slightly away from me, 'Kate hates him,'

'Kate hates any man, who is not her beloved dada or brother,' I laughed, turning round to face him. His face was still almost expressionless as I put my arms round his neck, 'don't be jealous,'

I felt his body give a sigh, as he slowly puts his arms round my waist. There was no denying that this must be part of the reason for Thomas' mood over the past weeks, as everything would suddenly become strained when Edmund entered the room or when ever his name was mentioned

'I still don't trust him,' he muttered, looking straight into my eyes for the first time in days, 'and I do not trust him with you. He looks at you, well he looks at you in a way that not health,'

'His my cousin,' I continued to laugh, I couldn't help it. I knew Thomas trusted me but it amused me the idea that Edmund who had never so much had touched me, would want me in such away.

'You use to say, I was all you needed,'

'And you are,' I said, more seriously, 'but Thomas, you have sisters, you have nephews and nieces,'

'What's mine is yours,'

'Except your sisters hate me,' I answered, remembering the one and only meeting I had had with them, which had ended with me throwing them out of the house after they implied that I had seduced their brother in order to get my hands on his money.

'Does it matter,'

'Yes. It does, Thomas,'

'I do not trust him,' answered Thomas, 'believe me, I want to trust him for your sake but I cannot. Years of practice have taught me something's not quite right here,'

'So you trust that over your own wife!' I answered, in more of a harsher manner than I intended it to be. Thomas, though did not reply but just sighed and returned to sitting on the edge of our bed. I hadn't intended to be cruel but his silence only increased my anger.

'Is that why I've hardly seen you these last three weeks? Is that why you're staying at work until as late as you can, so that we're all in bed when you get home? Is that why in every conversation we have, you turn prickly as though you don't want to speak with me? Is that why,' I suddenly went quiet as I felt venerable, 'is that why we haven't made love since that Sunday?'

'Bathsheba,' sighed Thomas, looking up at me then, his dark eyes turning sad, 'that's nonsense,'

'Don't tell me it's nonsense, Thomas,' I replied, with a mixture of hurt and anger, 'you've hardly spoken to me over the past few weeks, let alone touched me. You leave as soon as you can in the mornings and you don't come home until late. You slip into bed, without even kissing me. I'm lucky if your arm touches my waist...Thomas, this can't all be about Edmund or even the King and Culpepper. What have I done? What's wrong with me?'

'The Sweat has hit Hamburg,' answered Thomas, quietly and I felt my heart almost stop. I never feared the disease, not like Thomas did but I thought we would be safe from anything here; the Sweat had always left this part of Europe alone.

'But that's miles away,' I said, kneeling down in front on him, trying to sound cheerful, 'we're safe here,'

His eyes were so sad, the way they were when he was troubled. As I slipped my arms round his neck, I suddenly understood everything that had been wrong between me and Thomas these few weeks.

'Nothing is going to happen to us Thomas,' I reassured, praying under my breath that it was true, 'I can feel it in my bones...I know it's in God hands and if he chooses to take me, you or...one of the children, it will be made twice as worse by you pushing me away. I don't want to be pushed away. If God takes me, I want to know I leave here with your love,'

I breathed a sigh of relief, as I felt my husband put his arms around my waist and pull me to him. As if it was our first night together again, I found that as I went to kiss him, it was he that started to kiss me, with a passion I had not felt in a long time.

'Let's get rid of the Culpeppers as quickly as we can,' I said, pulling away briefly but still not taking my eyes off Thomas' lips, 'then I promise to show that you are still the only man I need and that I'm going nowhere,'

'I've always liked you in red,' murmured Thomas, running a finger down the ribbons of my dress as we kissing me again. Tightening his arms round my waist, the two of us fell back on to the bed.

'Thomas, we can't,' I laughed, as I rolled to my back, my hair falling out of its braid, 'they'll be here any moment,'

'I do not care,' said Thomas, lying down on top of me, running a hand through my hair, 'my wife is more important than being nice to some bastard who should have been put to death and his empty headed wife-their just have to wait,'

I didn't need any more convincing. I pulled Thomas back to me, kissing him as deeply as I could, as my body cried out for more. With a wicked smile, Thomas pulled away from my lips and started to kiss my neck, as he ran his hands up my legs, pushing back my skirts as he did so. I moaned as I sensed his lips on my neck, as my hand move down his body to unbutton...

'Mummy! Dada!,'

* * *

Me and Thomas sat up with a jump and quickly rearranged our clothes, as we heard our youngest daughter run down the corridor. She burst through the door, ran straight to the bed and flung herself face down on the blanket before bursting into tears.

'Lily-Anna,' I asked, deeply concerned as I gently stoked her auburn hair, 'what's wrong?'

'I...I...I,' she stuttered, sitting up, her little eyes red and her bottom lip trembling, 'I...I asked Maddie to play with me but she shouted at me and did this!,'

Still sniffling, she held up her doll, Mary which was now in two parts. Her body was in one of Lily-Anna hands and her head was in the other. I pulled my daughter on to my lap and held her close to me, wanting to comfort her but wondering at the same time what had happened to my oldest.

'Maddie!' called Thomas, from the doorway before turning back to me and Lily-Anna, shaking his head slowly from side to side.

Maddie appeared soon after she was called, rolling her eyes as she stomped into the bedroom and saw the three of us.

'Why?' asked Thomas, raising his voice as loud as he did with the children. He very rarely got angry with them and when he did, it was not really anger, more just raising his voice.

'She kept sticking that bloody doll in my face,' she snapped back, 'whining about me not wanting to play with her, but not a child anymore, I'm an adult!'

'You are not an adult, Maddie,' I said sharply, looking up from my youngest daughter to my oldest, who was staring back at me coldly, 'despite what you think, you are still a child,'

'You two are so cruel. I am an adult, yet you treat me like a baby. Your making me eat in the nursery with the babies tonight,' she pouted, 'if it was Kate...'

'If it was Kate,' I answered, trying not to shout, 'I would say the same thing and if you want to know what real cruelty is, then you should have met our fathers-now say you're sorry to sister,'

'Sorry,' she sulked, looking at her feet. Lily-Anna look up at Maddie, wiping her tears away with the sleeve of her dress. Her little body was still shaking with tears, but she managed a little smile.

'Thank you, Maddie,' she whispered, before turning back to me, 'what about Mary?'

'Mummy be able to sew Mary up, little one,' said Thomas, kneeling down beside us, 'won't you, mummy,'

'Of course,' I smiled, kissing her gently on the head, 'now are you going to help mummy finish getting dress?'

Lily-Anna jumped off my lap and nodded her head with a smile. She then ran over to the dresser and brought back my comb. She climbed on the bed and started to comb out my braid.

'Your very pretty, mummy,' she chirped, back to her normal happy self, 'you look like a princess,'

'Ah, thank you, Lily-Anna,'

'Mother only dress that way, because of the things it makes father want to do to her,' said Maddie, almost in a snarl, before storming out the room. Lily-Anna, thankfully didn't hear her sister's words and just continued to bush my hair as she sang to herself.

'What the Hell was that about,' asked Thomas, as he buttoned up his doublet.

'I'm not sure,' I sighed, 'but I'm beginning to think that I don't understand thirteen year old girls either,'

* * *

'Lady Cromwell,' said Katherine, in her childlike voice that made me wince, 'where are your delightful children tonight?'

'They...er,' I stuttered, 'they tend to play up when we have company. We decided it was best they stay upstairs tonight,'

'You decided, Lady Cromwell,' said Culpepper, leaning back on his chair, his eyes staring straight at me, 'or your husband,'

'I thought you had come to talk about the Queen's visit, Culpepper,' answered Thomas, his eyes darkening, 'not about my children,'

'Of course,'

There was something very unsettling about Culpepper. I felt as if I was once again in the same room as my father, terrified that at any moment his mood would turn violent. Under the table, I felt Thomas take hold of my hand and briefly squeeze it.

'Your baby is so sweet,' continued Katherine, 'I could just eat him up,'

'Do you have any children?' I asked, thinking of anything I could to say to her, but soon regretted the decision as I saw the bright smile on her face disappear.

'No,' she said, mournfully, her mouth downturned as she reach for her glass of wine, but as she did so, she grabbed hold of her arm, wincing in pain, 'ow!'

'You ok,' I asked, getting out of my chair and going over to her. I put my arm around her shoulders, as she sat back, tears starting to appear in her eyes.

'She's fine,' answered Culpepper, 'she fell off her horse whilst she was out riding, didn't you Catherine?'

'I believe Bathsheba was asking your wife?'

'No, no, Lord Cromwell, he's right' she smiled, though it was clear she was still in pain, 'I fell. Silly me. I'm fine now,'

'Good,' said Thomas carefully, exchanging a look with me as he seemed to be sensing the same as me. If it had been a simple accident, why didn't he let Katherine answer for herself?

'Katherine,' I smiled, suddenly feeling guilty over my harsh treatment of her, 'I'm going to check on Daniel, would you like me to bring him down to see you?'

* * *

Daniel was wide awake when I came into the bedroom. He was sat up looking at the stairs in the sky outside, his young eyes staring at them in wonder.

'I thought you'd be awake,' I said, picking Daniel up, 'come now, Daniel, you going to be a good boy and help cheer Katherine up,'

'Can I please come downstairs, mother,' came a strained voice in the corridor-it was Maddie. I turned round and saw Maddie stood there, having changed out of her day dress, into a her most fancy dress and hood. As I looked at her, I noticed she was wearing the pearls Thomas had given me last birthday.

'I'm sorry, Maddie,' I smiled. I felt sorry for her now, she was caught between childhood and adulthood and was trying so hard to prove that she was now a woman but after what I had just seen downstairs-Katherine certainly hadn't fallen off her horse-I didn't want my daughter near Culpepper; particularly as I suspected he was the reason she wanted to go. I had seen the look she had given him in church that Sunday-it was a look I knew only too well, 'but next time, I promise,'

'Please,' she continued, tears starting to appear. It almost broke my heart but I remained strong.

'Next time Maddie,' I said, kindly, 'you can sit pride of place, I promise,'

She stood there for a moment, her lip trembling but trying to remain strong. It didn't last long, as the tears started to tumble.

'You're so unfair, mother,' she cried, running down the corridor to her chamber, 'I hate you,'

She slammed the door shut behind her, though I could still hear her tears as I went down the stairs.

* * *

Thomas and Culpepper were in deep in deep conversation when me and Daniel came into the room. Catherine was picking at the food on her plate, looking very disinterested with everything, but a smile soon returned on her lips as she saw Daniel.

'Hello Daniel,' cooed Katherine, as I brought him over to her, 'you've certainly got bigger since I last saw you,'

'He'll be walking soon,' I smiled, as I put him down on her lap but remained holding him because of Katherine's arm, 'then he can cause all sort of trouble with his sisters,'

'You are so adorable,' she laughed, tickling Daniel's belly making him giggle and wriggle, 'I think you are a very lucky man, Lord Cromwell,'

Thomas looked up from his conversation with Culpepper and smiled over at us.

'Thank you, Katherine,' replied Thomas, leaving Culpepper and coming over to our side of the table. He kissed me, gently on the side of my forehead, 'I think I am too,'

'How very sweet,' smiled Culpepper, showing his bright white teeth, 'you've gone soft in your old age, Lord Cromwell. Now back to the matter...'

'I do not care what you say, Culpepper,' replied Thomas, picking Daniel up, 'but those were my very last words regarding that matter. Write to the King but I'm sure he'll agree with me,'

'Whatever you say, Lord Cromwell,' said Culpepper, getting to feet, 'now if your excuse me,'

He left the room and the three of us returned to the talking about Daniel. A few moments passed and every was silent, then we heard an almighty crash coming from outside the room. The three of us ran into the hall and found Culpepper with his arms round Maddie!

* * *

'Get your hands off of my daughter,' said Thomas, his voice cold and dark. I grabbed hold of his hand as tightly as I could, terror and anger flew through me as I saw Culpepper's hands on my daughter's waist.

'I was only helping the poor lady to her feet,' smiled Culpepper, letting go of Maddie, who was looking at us opened mouthed but it was Culpepper who I concentrated on. His manor was smug and there was something in his eyes that reminded me once again of my father, 'the poor thing fell down the stairs,'

'Maddie,' I interrupted, taking Daniel off of Thomas, 'you were told to stay upstairs!'

'I'm not a child, mother!'

'A lady like you, is surely not a child,' said Culpepper to Maddie, who blushed at his words as I felt sick.

'My daughter is a thirteen year old girl,' shouted Thomas, with such force that even I jumped, 'now get out of my house!'

'As you wish, Lord Cromwell,' nodded Culpepper, cooly, 'come Katherine,'

Katherine, who had remained silent during the whole scene, ran to the door and out into the night. Culpepper soon followed, that sinister smile still on his lips as he joined his wife in the darkness.

'You two are so...'

'Get up stairs, Maddie!' I shouted, angry that she had disobeyed me.

'But,'

'You heard your mother,' interrupted Thomas, his voice trying to regain his usual control, 'get upstairs,'

'I hate you,' she screamed, pulling my pearl necklace off, causing the string to snap and the pearls to scatter over the floor, as she ran upstairs, 'I HATE YOU!'


	6. Chapter 6

(Thanks for the reviews, they mean so much, as I had so much trouble with the last chapter. I'm afraid this chapter is dark in parts. Culpepper isn't going to come out of this story too well-Angel More, you won't be the only one wanting to chop him up :)

'You were told to stay upstairs,' said Thomas, calmly, 'I told you to stay upstairs. Your mother told you, more than once to stay upstairs. So why did you come disobey us?'

It was still early morning Lily-Anna and Daniel were still asleep, as me and Thomas had dragged Maddie from her bed-Kate, I could hear was listening at Thomas' office, where the three of us where now standing. I was very angry with my daughter and refused to show her any pity as I stared at her across Thomas' desk.

'I did not come downstairs,' replied Maddie, staring straight back at us, 'I fell downstairs,'

'No,' I said, sharply, 'you fell down the last few steps, as you were walking down them!'

'Well, if you had let me come downstairs,'

'Again,' continued Thomas, 'we both told you to stay upstairs. Kate managed it. Lily-Anna managed it. So why didn't you?'

'You are both not listening to me!' she screamed, stomping her feet as she did so, 'I am not a child!'

'Very well,' I snapped, getting fed up with hearing the same argument over and over again, 'you keep telling us your not a child, then I will not talk to you as if you are one. Do you know what's the worse crime a man can commit against a woman is?'

'Bathsheba,' whispered Thomas, taking hold of my hand, 'I do not think it is right...'

I smiled and kissed him-much to the disgust of Maddie, who wrinkled her nose as I showed her father affection. Many people, all over Europe, thought of Thomas as an evil man but my husband was no monster. My husband has a heart and is a kind and loving man. Evil men are no such things-their hearts are black. They hurt you. They torture you. They push to until you think you are going break-and sometimes you do break!

'Maddie, it's not murder,' I sigh, not wanting to lose my temper anymore, 'it's rape!'

'Mother...'

'Listen to me, Maddie,' I continued, walking over to where she was standing and falling to my knees, 'do you want to know why you weren't allowed downstairs last night? Do you want to know why me and your father reacted the way we did?'

'I know, mother,' she said, rolling her eyes once again, 'I heard William's father talking about it, but it must just be rumours. The King would have put Thomas Culpepper in prison if he did rape that woman and murder her husband,'

I felt frustrated at my daughter's naivety. But was it innocence that has caused her reply or that she just didn't want to see the truth? I've seen the way she looked at him, her eyes wide as they look him up and down-it was the same way I use to look at Anthony.

'The King doesn't care if he's guilty or not, Maddie,' I cried, grabbing hold of her hands, 'do you know what that poor woman must have gone through? He would have held her down, probably with a hand wrapped round her throat, so that she could hardly breathe, let alone scream. He would have put all his weigh on her, so that she thinks she is being crushed. Then as she begs for mercy, he would have done things to her that would make her think she was in Hell. And afterwards, when she lying there cradling her legs to her body, she would fear that she is now so full of sin, that Heaven would no longer want her,'

The room fell silent. Outside, I could here Kate, scratching around by the door. I felt Thomas' hand, gently on my shoulder, as I stared at my daughter, hoping that my words had finally helped her see sense.

'Promise me you'll stay away from him,'

'Yes, mother,' replied Maddie, quietly, her eyes stared at the floor, 'I'm sorry about the necklace...can I go now?'

After nodding my head, she left, shutting the door behind her. I smiled as I heard Maddie and Kate exchange words in the corridor. As I got to my feet and turned to face Thomas, he placed his arms round my waist.

'Bathsheba,' he started, quietly, his face full of concern. I rest my head against he's chest.

'Let's not talk of it,' I replied, 'come, let's go and see Daniel. He should be waking about now,'

* * *

'I think he'll be walking soon,' I said, as me and Thomas, watch our baby son pull himself up with the aid of the bed's leg, before falling back on his bottom again. I took hold of Thomas arm as we watched and snuggled against him, 'then Kate can take him with her on her little adventures,'

Thomas was silent for a moment, thinking deeply as he watched his son crawl around our bedroom. I knew his mind was thinking on what I had said to Maddie, but I didn't want to talk about it. My happiness in the here and now, was more important than the sadness of a time long forgotten.

'Was it your father, Bathsheba?' he asked, quietly, finally breaking the silence.

'No, it was one of his friends,' I whispered, vowing not to cry, 'please, Thomas, lets not talk about it. I have not thought about on it, in all the years I have been with you,'

'I just want to protect you,'

'I know you do, Thomas' I sighed, going over to Daniel and picking him up, 'but that was in past. I don't need you protecting me by threatening men, who crimes against me I just want to forget. I need, I want you to protect me, just by loving me. Just by coming home every night to me and the children. Just by being my husband,'

Thomas came over to where me and Daniel were stood and puts his arms round my waist, pulling the both of us to him. He smiled, as he leant forward to kiss me, but as our lips touched, there came a knock at the door.

'Sorry if I'm interrupting anything,' said Edmund, as he came into the bedroom, holding a letter in his hand, 'but I wanted to speak to Lord Cromwell before he went,'

'Of course,' said Thomas, through gritted teeth, 'what can I do for you?'

'I was wondering, that as Bathsheba has asked me to help with the girls, until a tutor can be found, is there anything in particular you wanted me to teach them?'

Thomas looked at me, almost opened mouthed and I cursed myself, for forgetting to mention mine and Edmund's conversation yesterday.

'Sorry, Thomas,' I said, with a smile, 'in all what happened yesterday, I forgot to mention that Edmund offered to teach the girls,'

'Make sure they Maddie carries on with her Greek and Kate her Italian,' replied Thomas, his voiced strained, as he tried to sound nice for my sake.

'I'm afraid I do not know Italian,'

'Really? All my daughter do,' said Thomas, kissing me on the cheek, before whispering to me, 'he better not teach them how to whistle through their teeth,'

I laughed at Thomas' remark, as it was habit Edmund seemed to have, that only Thomas (and of course, Kate) had noticed and it drove him mad.

'Oh before I forget, Lord Cromwell,' said Edmund, holding out the letter in his hand, 'this just arrive for you from Hanover,'

Thomas took the letter, without uttering a word. He broke the seal and read the letters contents, before leaving for Court without a word in parting and causing my heart to, once again, almost break.

* * *

'How are the girls doing?' I asked Edmund, as he joined me and Daniel for lunch, 'they behaving themselves?'

'Their fine,' he smiled as he sat down across the table for me, 'their a credit to you,'

'Even Kate?' I asked, who I was sure would play up, 'their past tutors have usually been driven insane by her,'

Kate liked to ask a lot of questions and usually, she would then question the answer she was given. And if she didn't like the answer to her question, she would say that she would have to ask her dada, before taking their word for it.

'She asks a lot of question,' Edmund laughed, 'she certainly idolises her father... I think that sweet, reminds me of my daughter Maria,'

I smiled, as I saw the sadness in his eyes-the pain he must have gone through in that horrendous week, must have been heartbreaking. On the times when Thomas had spoken about the loss of Elizabeth, Anne and Grace, I couldn't imagine begin to the pain, he and Gregory had gone through. Was the anniversary of their deaths, the reason for Thomas' mood? I could only hope Gregory would soon find out?

'Lily-Anna usually spends the afternoon with me and Daniel,' I said, taking a sip of wine, 'as she is not yet old enough to spend all day in the class room,'

'Of course,' answered Edmund, reaching to for his wine glass but then he stopped and let his fingers play with the glass, 'Maddie is very hard working...did you know, she knows More's Utopia by heart?'

'Yes,' I smiled proudly. Despite the trouble my daughter had caused these past twenty four hours, I was still extremely proud of her.

'And does Lord Cromwell know?'

'Of course he does,' I answered, feeling a little ill at ease with his question, 'should he not?'

'I was just think,' continued Edmund, very carefully, his fingers still playing with the spine of the glass, 'that it must be very awkward, knowing the roll your husband played in Thomas More's downfall,'

'My husband is a good man,' I snapped, getting to my feet so quickly that my chair toppled over, 'as was More... The world seems to think I am a silly woman, who is blind to everything. I know Thomas has done bad things, but what he did was on the orders of another. And when the day comes, when we are all called before God, it will not be Thomas, who needs to worry about his conscious, it will be the one who gave the orders!'

I knew what I was saying was treasonous but I didn't care. Despite my friendship with the Queen, I hated the King with a passion. I hated his vanity. I hated his pride. And most of all I hated him for what he had almost let others do to my husband.

'I'm sorry, Bathsheba,' said Edmund, quietly, looking down at the food on his plate, 'I did not mean to offend...Lord Cromwell is very lucky to have you,'

I felt guilt then for shouting then and picked up my chair. As I sat down, I managed to return a smile back to my face.

'You know,' continued Edmund, looking up at me with a small smile, 'you looked just like your mother, when she came to see my parents that winter,'

I took another sip of wine, slightly confused by his comments as my mother had not put up a fight that visit, she had fallen to her knees with tears and begged.

* * *

'Now Daniel,' I said, holding him up, 'can you walk to your sister,'

I let go of him and watched with pride as Daniel took his first unaided steps towards Lily-Anna, who was stood a meter away from me. He didn't make it to his sister, but fell on his bum, about half way. He laughed as me and Lily-Anna clapped.

'Well done, Daniel,' I smiled, picking him up, 'now shall we get back to our picnic?'

Lily-Anna had brought all her dolls into the garden and had placed them in a semi-circle on a blanket, with me and Daniel joining them for a picnic with some bread rolls, she been given from the kitchen.

'Hello, Lady Cromwell,' said a voice, almost in a whisper from behind him. I turned round and saw Katherine Culpepper, standing nervously behind me, looking so small in the sunshine.

'Katherine, come join us,' I said, patting the spot beside me, 'we having a little picnic, aren't we Lily-Anna?'

Katherine smiled as she sat down and Lily-Anna came over to her and handed her plate of broken up bread.

'Let me introduce you to everyone,' she chirped, 'this is Mary, Tamar, Esther and Sarah. Esther and Sarah use to be Maddie's but she says she's too old for them, so I look after them now. Everyone this is Katherine,'

'Hello,' said Katherine, her small voice sounded strained. It was then I notice, that under her make-up, there was hidden a massive black eye.

'Katherine,' I smiled, 'would you like to hold Daniel?'

She nodded, as she put down her plate. I put Daniel on her lap and she held him with her good hand but before I had a chance to ask about her eye, Lily-Anna got there before me.

'Katherine,' she said, innocently, munching on some bread, 'what's the matter with your eye? Its a strange colour?'

'Oh!' exclaimed Katherine, wincing as she put her bad arm up to it, 'I fell out of bed this morning. Hit my face on the bedside cabinet. I'm so silly!'

'It must have hurt,' said Lily-Anna, as she brushed Tamar's woollen hair.

'Katherine,' I whispered, so that Lily-Anna couldn't hear, 'what really happened?'

'You know what husband's are like?' she answered, quietly, before kissing Daniel on the head.

'No, Katherine,' I said, louder than I intended, 'I don't know what husband's are like. Thomas would rather kill himself than lay a finger on me,'

'When I was a little girl, my father left me at my step-grandmother's and never came back for me,' she sighed, hugging Daniel tighter, 'she never cared for me, but men always seemed to gather around me. So I use to think, if they loved me, it would make everything alright. But they all left me, once they got what they wanted. No one wanted easy Kitty for a wife and mother of their children. Then Thomas came a long and he truly loves me. He's not perfect, but he loves me,'

'Katherine,' I replied, putting an arm round her shoulder, 'you don't hit people you love. You need to leave him,'

'I cannot, Lady Cromwell,' she smiled, shaking her head from side to side, 'now Lily-Anna aren't you going to tell me more about your dolls,'

* * *

I watched with sadness as Katherine sent the afternoon playing with Daniel and Lily-Anna. She was still a child herself in many ways and being with a man, who beat her would, never give her the happiness she deserved. When she left later that afternoon, I begged her not to leave, but with no success. Culpepper was the only husband she'd get, she said with a desperate smile.

I watched her leave with a heavy heart but as soon as her coach had disappeared from sigh, Thomas appeared.

'Thomas!' I called in shock, not expecting him home so soon, 'is everything ok?'

'Everything fine,' he smiled brightly, as he jumped off his horse and put his arms round my waist, 'are the children with Frau Schwartz?'

'Ye...' but he didn't let me finish, as he kissed me so passionately, that he actually lifted me off the ground.

'Good,' he whispered, taking a hand away from my waist and unpinning my hair, 'now, how does my beautiful wife feel about going to bed early?'


	7. Chapter 7

(Sorry for not updating sooner. Thanks again to GreenField, MrsPhantomSylvia and Angel More for your reviews. Am a bit worried that Cromwell is a bit out of character. Hope you enjoy. Ps there's a nice surprise for Culpepper later in the story-I promise ;))

_It's getting closer. Every day I prayer to God that it will stop, but still the Sweat gets nearer to my family. As I sit here, it is currently ripping through Hanover and could soon be on the path to Dusseldorf. My mind is dark. I feel constantly sick. What happens when it arrives here? What happens if its take's those I love, away from me?_

* * *

'_Father,'_

_I look away from the window, which I have been staring out of for almost an hour and see Gregory, standing gingerly in the doorway. I smile as I see him-he looks so much like Elizabeth._

'_Gregory, come in,' I say and he takes a few steps into my office, 'would you like some ale?'_

'_Yes,' he answers, still sounding nervous. I go and pour him a mug, still smiling as I remember the time he came to see me when he was still at Cambridge and confessed to having gambling depts. He was so troubled, but he must have known I could never be angry with him, or any of my children, 'father, is everything ok between you and Bathsheba?'_

_I almost drop the jug as I listen to his words. I know I have been distant but I did not realise that it had become so noticeable. Bathsheba and I shared words last night but it's not because there is anything wrong between us-or does my wife feel differently._

'_What makes you say that?' I reply, handing him a mug, before sitting back down on the window seat._

'_Bathsheba spoke with me this morning,' he says, in between sips of his drink. He then comes and sits next to me, 'plus I have eyes, father. I have seen how you have been these past few weeks. When Lizzie and I have visited, you hardly speak to anyone and when Edmund enters the room, you leave,'_

_I will not deny the last part-I despise that man with a passion. I hate him. I distrust him. I cannot stand the way he acts...And he whistles threw his teeth-something that drives me mad!_

'_It's hurting Bathsheba,' Gregory says, sounding more like the parent than the son, 'do you know, almost every time I have seen her these last three weeks, she has been on the brink of tears,'_

'_No,' I answer, quietly ashamed of myself. Last night, I saw she was upset and had tears lingering in her beautiful eyes, but all of what happened with Maddie, had made it slip my mind, 'I had not realised,'_

'_Father,' he says, carefully, staring down at the floor, 'I've noticed that you constant fail to kiss her goodbye... She says you don't even..touch...go to bed together,'_

'_Bathsheba told you that!,' I almost choke on my words as I speak, stunned that my son would approach such a subject and at Bathsheba for telling him! We would have made love last night, if it hadn't been for Maddie upsetting Lily-Anna!_

'_Do not be angry with her,' he pleads, 'she was upset the other day and told Lizzie everything,'_

'_That is between a husband and wife,' I snap, getting to my feet and storming over to my desk, leaning hard on the chair. Despite his pleas, I am annoyed but more out of embarrassment than anger._

'_But I cannot fail to notice, that the woman you used to look at so passionately, you now look at with distant eyes...I'm not a child, anymore father. I have children of my own...You use to look Bathsheba with such an intensity, that part of my mind knew that you and she were...together, long before you told me,'_

_I cannot hide it. I know its the truth, however much I try to deny it. And the fault lies with me and not Bathsheba. This morning, the moment that bastard handed me the letter from Hanover, I turned cold-I left with out a word of parting to her._

'_There,' I answer, slumping down in my chair and pick up a pile of letters that are lying on my desk, 'these are letters from people all over England, worried about the Sweat in Germany. They want to know if their relatives are still alive and if not, can I send their possessions home...The Sweat is getting closer, Gregory. I can fight almost everything, but even I cannot fight this!'_

_He looks at me and small sympathetic smile comes across his face. He comes over to where I sit and places a hand on my shoulder._

'_Father,' he says, 'do not let what happened with mother, Anne and Grace ruin what you have now? None of them would want that,'_

'_I thought my world had ended when your mother and sisters died,' I say, remembering those dark days, all those years ago, 'I cannot go through that again. I cannot watch my children and grandchildren die. I cannot once again, hold a wife in my arms and watch her take her last breathe...I can send men to their deaths, Gregory but I am not as strong as people think,'_

_Gregory is silent for a moment, as he goes and sits down in the chair opposite me. As he looks at me across the desk, piled with various papers, once again feel as if it is Elizabeth looking back at me._

'_Father,' he says, after awhile, 'have you ever though how we'd feel, if we lost you?'_

'_I,' I start, taken a back by his question, 'I...you are all strong. Much stronger than me, especially Bathsheba,'_

'_We are like you, father,' he replies, 'we are all just flesh and blood...And we did almost lose you once...Father, I actually cried when I thought they might take you from us...All those nights Lizzie and I sat up with Kate, who was having nightmares about losing her father and mother, almost broke our hearts- as did, Bathsheba's tears when she told me they were planning your arrest,'_

_I will never forget that terrible time and I will never forgive Suffolk and his cronies for what they tried to do to me and my family. All the time I was away from them, all I could think of was them. Bathsheba, who was carrying Lily-Anna, Kate, Maddie and Gregory. I did not care what was done to me, as long as they were safe, (of course they weren't, that bastard Dixon was already building my Bathsheba funeral pyre)_

'_Bathsheba is a tough lady,' he continues, drawing me back from my thoughts, 'I never met a woman like her. She is like you, in many ways. Her background has made her tough but she is human-and if she loses you, I do not know what she will do. Do not push her away, father. She will be lost without you. If she is closed to Edmund, its because she is making up for the loneliness of her childhood, not because she doesn't need you,'_

_To me Bathsheba is nothing but strong. I have seen her venerable but to me she always had the power to survive everything. I love her so much. I have been so selfish. All I have thought of is myself, not about how she and the rest of our family feel. _

'_I had never thought of things of things like,' I answer, suddenly feeling my burned fall away from me, 'I have been such a fool,'_

'_No, father,' smiles Gregory, getting to his feet, 'you're just human,' _

_As he goes to the door, I remember the conversation Bathsheba and I had before all this trouble started. I get to my feet and follow him, placing a hand on his shoulder._

'_Gregory,' I say, hugging him, 'I am very proud of you,' _

* * *

_I make my excuses to the Duke and leave as soon as I can. As I ride home, I think about Gregory. I know I was not the greatest of fathers, (though I feel I have done better than some I could mention), but I also know enough to say with all my heart, that I am proud of him and always will be. I think about my younger children, about how I will greet them once I am home, even Daniel, who has no idea what has been going on and Maddie, who I suspect is still upset with me over last night-(one day, when she is older, she will understand that we are just trying to protect her). I have not been easy to live with these passed weeks; I hope they will forgive me. I love them all._

_But most of all I think about Bathsheba, who has bore the brunt of my moods and whose forgiveness I need to earn the most. I love her more than she'll ever know. She always, no matter what, makes me feel alive and rids me of my troubles. I do not know how I would have got through my many troubles without her; Anne's execution, the Articles of Faith, the King's marriage, John's burning-strange I should think of him, but my mind has thought on him recently for some reason._

_I hope I have not left it too late. As I get nearer to home, I can see her walking outside the front of our house with another woman, who I make out as Culpepper's wife, Katherine. Poor thing, trapped with that bastard of a husband, who I should have made sure, was sent to his death when he committed his terrible crimes._

_I cannot make out what they are saying, but Bathsheba is speaking passionately. She's never one to hide her emotions, I think, smiling to myself. I've seen her face down many men and make them crumble before her. She has made Suffolk and others look so small, that I couldn't have done a better job myself. I hear that, when I was facing my death, she argued with such force and cunning before the King, that she would have made a good politician if she had been born a man... We have had some explosive arguments over the years but we always make up._

_Despite my treatment of Bathsheba over the last few weeks, I hate to see her upset. I felt sick, listening to her describe what some evil bastard did to her, when she would have been nothing more than a child. If I could get my hands on him...She asks me, just to protect her by loving her and being her husband-though I have not done too much to make her feel I am worthy of that title recently._

_I dread losing her and my children. I have nightmares at night, in which I am once again locked in my office, crying for the loss of my wife and children. I feared I had lost Bathsheba when she gave birth to Daniel. Her screams sounded as though, she was being tortured by some hideous device. When Elizabeth gave birth and when Bathsheba gave birth to the girls, I stayed away from the chamber like all men do, but when the midwife said Bathsheba was in trouble, I ran in there. She looked to small in the bed, her skin was so pale and she was soaked in blood. I held her in her arms as they cut her to help get Daniel out; I feared that this would be the last time I could hold her. As my son cried, I was happy but then I saw Bathsheba lying with her eyes closed on the bloodstained bed, and I feared the worse. It took both the midwife and Elizabeth to convince my beautiful wife was just sleeping. _

_As she speaks with Katherine, her hair starts to full out from its pins. God, I love feeling her thick long hair on my skin. I can never resist her, once I feel it brush against my flesh, (one of the many things about Bathsheba that I cannot resist). Her eyes are so beautiful and her body is so warm. How Suffolk and the King could be unfaithful, is beyond me? I have done some terrible things in my time but I have never cheated on the woman I love. I love every inch of Bathsheba, that I could never think about anyone else. _

_As I watch the moment of her body, I cannot believe how I have been so cold. How could I have pushed her away? We have always been good together. Has it really been three weeks? The way she moves her hips as she walks, makes my mind think on all the times when I have felt her body pressed down on mine and I've felt her dig her nails into me. Every time we make love and I explore her every inch of her, I find something more to love about her._

* * *

_Katherine goes and Bathsheba stands alone at the front of the house. She seems so shocked to see me and even more surprised when I pull her into my arms. God, how I have missed her._

'_You're tired, Lord Cromwell?' she asks, biting on her bottom lip as she gets my meaning._

'_Very,' I reply, staring straight into her eyes as my fingers start to undo her dress._

'_Well then,' Bathsheba whispers, pulling away from me and taking my hand, leading me into the house, 'we'll have to find away to put it right then,' _


	8. Chapter 8

(Thanks so much for the reviews -I really appreciate them. I promise, you'll love the ending I've got planned for Culpepper :) .Hope everyone enjoys this chapter)

'I'm sorry, please forgive me,' mumbled Thomas, smothering my neck in kisses, with such a passion, that I couldn't stop moans escaping from my mouth, 'I love you so much,'

We hadn't yet made it to our chamber, though we had made it as far as the door. My body pressed up against the old oak door and was hot with desire. I pulled Thomas to me as tightly as could, wanting every inch of him. I had long ago lost my dress and skirts, which were lying with Thomas doublet, somewhere along the hallway-thankfully all the children where outside with Frau Schwartz, so we would not be discovered or disturbed.

'Thomas,' I moaned, wrapping my legs around his waist, as I tried desperately to open the door with a free hand. I had forgotten all my troubles as my husband had taken me in his arms. It had been so long since we had been together, that caught up in the passion of the moment, I had ripped his shirt open.

Finally, the door gave way and we were in the privacy of our chamber. Our lips still kissing, hungrily, Thomas carried me over to our bed.

'I love you,' I gasped, as we pulled away the last of each others clothes, Thomas, almost teared my shift to shreds as he grew frustrated, as he had difficulty pulling it over my head.

'My Bathsheba,' he murmured, kissing the spot between my breasts, where my heart was now beating frantically. Putting my fingers through his hair, I pulled his mouth back to mine, kissing him deeply, breaking away only to cry out in pleasure as I felt my husband enter me.

* * *

'So, Lord Cromwell,' I sighed with a smile, as I propped my head up on my hands, still feeling the warmth of our love marking over my body. I was lying on my belly, trying not to wriggle as I felt Thomas place kisses up and down my spine, trying to remember when I had last felt so happy, 'what was all that about?'

'Bathsheba,' said Thomas, in between kisses, brushing my hair to the side, as his lips moved up my body, 'if you do not know after eleven years of marriage, then I wonder what we've been doing wrong...God, you taste of honey,'

'Last time you told me that,' I laughed, as I rolled on to my back and Thomas returned his lips to kissing my belly, (thankfully still flat, despite bearing four children), 'was that Christmastide in Hanover when you ate it off my belly,'

'Well, I can still taste it,' he murmured, 'I love every inch of you,'

'You haven't told me that for a long time,' I smiled, twisting a lock of his hair round my finger, '...Thomas, we've been married almost eight years,'

'I have not told you many things recently,' replied Thomas, sitting up. I joined him, resting my head on his shoulder. He didn't look at me but just stared straight ahead at the wall of our bedroom, as his fingers play with my untidy hair, 'you were right, I should never have pushed you away, but as the Sweat got nearer, I feared that I would lose you the way...'

'Thomas,' I interrupted, pulling a sheet around us as I did so and snuggling against his body, 'I promise you, I am not going anywhere-God will have to drag me away from you and the children, kicking and screaming...You know, I don't mind you talking about Elizabeth and your daughters. Kate keeps asking Gregory questions about her sisters and I know, she'd love her dada to talk to her about them,'

There's a silence for a moment and in the hall, we heard Frau Schwartz taking Daniel to the nursery. I knew it was still a difficult subject for Thomas and I wanted desperately to help him with the pain but Thomas was still not ready to face it.

'There is one thing, I do not appreciate, Bathsheba,' said Thomas, with a sly smile as he pulled me on to his lap, 'and that is my wife telling my son about our lack of bedroom activities,'

'I didn't,' I answered, putting my arms round his neck, 'I told Elizabeth you'd gone cold on me and she must have told Gregory,'

'Mmm,'

'Don't mmm,' I laughed, putting a finger to his lips, 'it may shock you, Lord Cromwell but we women don't just talk sewing and babies. But don't worry. I've always given you a glowing report...anyway, how have we been married eleven years? You hadn't even got me with Kate, eleven years ago!'

'Because,' smiled Thomas, running a finger up my spin, making my body tingle, 'I count the days we have been together from 25th May 1535, when we first shared a bed,'

'Really!' I cried in surprise, not expecting that answer, 'you remember the date?'

'Of course. There was an important bill before Parliament the following day,'

'And there was me, thinking you were a romantic after all!'

Thomas laughed as he pulled the sheet covering us away and wrapped his arms around my waist, bringing us even closer together, before kissing me slowly, before pulling away and once again smoothingmy neck with kisses.

'I like to think I am,' said Thomas, in between kisses, as he moved his lips down my neck to my breasts, 'I spent the whole of the debate, trying not to think about the mole, that's just above your left thigh,'

I felt passion once again run through me, as Thomas laid back on the bed and pulled me on top of him. Lying face to face, we lingered a moment before we kissed, as if we were attacking each other and soon our chamber was once again filled with our moans and the frantic creaking of our bed, beneath our joined bodies.

* * *

'But,' we heard Kate say loudly through the door, as she turned the handle, 'they've been in there for ages!What are they doing that's so important? I want to show dada the poem, I wrote today,'

'Shoo, shoo, Mistress Kate,' replied Frau Schwartz, 'go back to playing with your sister. I'll be back down in a moment with Master Daniel,'

'And another thing!' continued Kate, as she walked back down the hall, 'mummy's always telling me off, for leaving my dresses on the bedroom floor, but she's just dumped hers in the middle of the hall!'

'Bugger,' I murmured into Thomas chest as I heard him laugh. We heard Kate's footsteps disappear and Frau Schwartz's leading to the nursery.

'We should see the children,' said Thomas, kissing me on the top of the head, 'I have not seen them all day and I need to apologize to them as well,'

We untangled our bodies and Thomas got out of bed. I didn't move. Instead, I sat on the edge of our bed and wrapped a sheet around the middle of my body, leaning my head to the side as I watch my husband get dressed- I was not yet ready to go downstairs and back to being a mother.

'Are you going to get dressed?' asked Thomas, as he tried to find a shirt to replace the one I had torn to shreds.

'No,' I smiled, getting to my feet and going over to him, 'I thought I'd have a steaming hot bath...and if my husband would care to join me, then that would be very...'

'Bathsheba, don't tease,'

'I'm not,' replied with an innocent smile, as I let the sheet fall a tiny bit, revealing the tops of my breasts. Thomas slipped his arms round my waist, his fingers gently pulling away the sheet, which covered my naked body, but before we kissed, we heard the sound of frantic footsteps down the hall. Breaking the moment, me and Thomas exchanged puzzled looks, as we heard the hurried footsteps and voices, as various doors in the hall where open with force. Then we heard Frau Schwartz, usually a very tough woman, whose voice never gave way to any emotion, screamed Daniel's name at the top of her voice-I felt terror run through me.

'Daniel!' I shouted, pulling the sheet tight around me, running over to the door and throwing it open, 'what's happened to Daniel?'

All the servants, who had gathered in the hallway, went silent and looked at the floor, as if they were all afraid to look at me and Thomas. Only Frau Schwartz, who was shaking and had tears starting to appear in her eyes, tried to meet my gaze.

'I'm afraid we don't know, Lady Cromwell,' she said quietly, 'he's gone!'

* * *

'We came as soon as we could,' cried Elizabeth, running over to the window seat, where I was with a tearful Lily-Anna on my lap and throwing her arms round me, 'what on earth happened?'

'I don't know,' I replied, trying not to cry, for fear of frightening my daughters, 'Frau Schwartz put him down for a nap. Later she went to check on him and he was gone. He was just gone,'

Daniel had been missing for almost two hours now and no one was any nearer to finding him. Me, Thomas, the girls and servants had turned the house upside down several times but still he was nowhere to be seen. None of the servants had seen anything suspicious and I was on the brink of breaking. Where was my son? I had torn the house up, in hysterics, but my daughters, especially Lily-Anna, were so upset that I didn't want to worry them and had vowed to remain strong and not cry.

'If they've hurt him,' snapped Thomas, hitting the back of a chair in frustration, 'I'll kill them!'

'Thomas,' I pleaded but I understood his frustration. I could see the pain in his eyes and knew that like me, his heart was almost breaking.

'You don't really think someone has taken him, do you father?' asked Gregory, going over to where Kate was sat with Maddie. Kate, who like her father, was trying to remain strong but the moment she saw her brother, she started to cry and hugged him tight.

'What else could have happened?' said Thomas, holding on tightly to the back of the chair, 'he's just a baby!'

Just then, Lily-Anna once again bursted into tears, calling out in heartbreaking sobs for her baby brother. I held her close to me and bushed away her tears with the sleeve of my dress, all the while, trying to stop my tears from flowing.

'I want Daniel,' she sobbed, her tears soaking my dress, 'I want Daniel,'

'We'll find him soon,' I smoothed, though inside I was full of the same terrors as she, 'won't we dada?'

'Of course, little-one,' smiled Thomas, coming over to us and kissing Lily-Anna on the top of the head, as he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, 'I promise you little-one, we'll find him. I'm going to go out and search for him again... I'll search all night if I have to,'

'I'll come too, father,' said Gregory, 'we'll cover much more ground between two of us,'

'Three of us,' added Kate, breaking away from her brother and wiping away her tears, 'I'm coming too!'

'No Kate,' I sighed, 'it too dangerous, for you to be out,'

'I want to help!'

'Kate, you ride with me,' said Thomas, getting to his feet and kissing me on the cheek, 'I promise I won't let any harm come to her,'

I nodded my head, though I hated the girls riding-I had a fear of them being thrown from the horse. But I knew Thomas would never let them fall and I understood Kate's feelings-I felt so useless just sitting here. As Thomas, Gregory and Kate made their way towards the door, Edmund and Frau Schwartz, who was just as distort as the rest of us, came in, their heads hanging low.

'We've such the top of the house four times,' said Edmund, mournfully, as Frau Schwartz flopped down in a chair, her head in her hands, 'I'm sorry but there's no trace of him...Do you want me to help, Lord Cromwell?'

'No,' answered Thomas, his voice for the first time kind towards Edmund and put a hand on his shoulder, 'but can you check the grounds once again for me?'

'Of course,'

The four of them left, leaving the rest of us in silence. After a few moments, I looked down at Lily-Anna and found that she had cried herself to sleep in my arms. Not wanting to wake her, I carefully got to my feet and carried her over to Frau Schwartz.

'Frau Schwartz,' I whispered, 'please can you put Lily-Anna to bed for me. I'm going to search the house again,'

'Of course, Lady Cromwell,' she said, getting to her feet and taking Lily-Anna from me, 'I'm so sorry,'

'It's not your fault, Frau Schwartz,' I smiled, despite tears appearing in my eyes, 'it was not your fault...I'm going to search the house one more time. He's only a baby. Even crawling, he can't have gone far-unless someone has got him,'

'Let me help,' said Elizabeth, getting to her feet and placing an arm around my shoulder, 'I'm sure father is just overreacting. No one would be so cruel as to steal a baby,'

'No...No, you're right,' I sniffed, 'I'll check the west of the house, Elizabeth you take the east and Maddie, you help Elizabeth,'

* * *

I didn't get far. I only made it to the nursery. Me, Thomas and Frau Schwartz had turned the room upside down looking for Daniel. Clothes and toys covered the floor, where we had turned out every trunk and draw in a desperate bid to find our little boy. We pulled up the rugs, we were so panicked stricken-I'd even tried to pull the floor broads up!

I walked slowly into the room, careful not to tread on the items, that Daniel would need once he was found... or returned. Returned! What if Thomas was right? What if some bastard had taken our beautiful son? As the time went on, he could not have simply crawled away and be hiding somewhere, waiting for one of us to find him and give him a cuddle. He loved his cuddles. He would be so scared, not being around those who love him.

Standing over his cot, I picked up his tiny blue shawl, which we always wrapped him up in, when he went to sleep. I picked it up and held it against my face-it was covered with that fresh baby smell, that babies always smell of, when they've been washed and put to bed.

Despite my hysterics early on, I still hadn't cried. Determined to remain strong, I had suppressed my tears but as I held his blanket and smelt him on the soft wool, I broke down.

'Daniel,' I cried, softly into shawl, as my legs gave way and I slumped to the ground, 'Daniel,'

I prayed to God that he was safe. I prayed to God that no one would hurt my child. I prayed to God that he would be returned to us but at that moment, in the darkness of the nursery, I feared that I would never see my little boy again.


	9. Chapter 9

(Thanks for the reviews - I love reading them and they are an amazing help. Sorry have taken so long with the update. Hope you enjoy)

I sat there crying, until I could not shed anymore tears. Once my eyes were dry, I got to my feet and continued my search. My baby boy was missing and he would not be found by his mother breakdown and wallowing in her own misery. No, I had to be strong. I pushed the terrifying thoughts that some bastard had sneaked into our home and stolen him, to the back of my mind and convinced myself that he was sat in some corner somewhere, waiting for his mummy and dada to find him.

I entered mine and Thomas' chamber, remembering that only a few hours ago everything had seemed so perfect. I had thought, when lying on the bed with Thomas that our lives were back to the way they were, before news of the Sweat reached us, not realising what pain the evening would bring.

Crawling around on my hands and knees, I convinced myself that Daniel had crawled in here, whilst me and Thomas had been too busy with each other to notice and was now hiding somewhere in the room. But it was no good. Every place I thought he could be, he was still nowhere to be seen. After I had climbed under the bed, search behind the curtains and emptied every clothes chest, I gave up. My little boy was not here and tears started to once again fall from my eyes, but before I could once again collapse under the pain, I felt an arm around my shoulder, causing me to jump. I hoped it was Thomas' arm that I could feel around me but as I turned round I found it was Edmund, standing before me.

'You need to come with me, Bathsheba,'

* * *

'Edmund, what's going on?' I cried, as he dragged me through the garden, 'have you found Daniel?'

'Just come with me,' he said, holding on to my wrist with one hand and a lantern with the other. I had no idea where I was being taken or why. I had asked him several times was this was to do with Daniel, panicking that he had been found but not in the state of the living.

He dragged me to the far corner of the garden, to where the giant weeping willow tree, which Kate and Lily-Anna had made into a den, was.

'Edmund, why are we...'

'Shhh!'

Has Edmund told me to be quiet I noticed that a tiny light, as if coming from a candle, shining through the branches. I knew, it couldn't be any of the girls, so who? But then, through the darkness, I heard thefaint voice of poor Katherine Culpepper.

'And then Daniel, the handsome prince married the beautiful princess and they lived happily ever after... And he never shouted at her, belittled her, hit her or bunched her-he just loved her,'

* * *

'I'm so sorry Lady Cromwell,' she cried, hugging Daniel even tighter, as I climbed under the tree to join them, 'I never meant to cause any harm,'

'I know you didn't Katherine,' I said, putting an arm round her shoulder, 'but we've all been sick with worry,'

'I...I...I,' she started, her bottom lip trembling, 'I was in the coach going home, but I just kept thinking about what you told me, about how no wife should be beaten by her husband and how we all should be loved. I just kept thinking it and thinking it. So much so, that I started to feel sick, so I asked the driver to stop the coach and let me out. I started walking and walking and walking, until the next thing I knew, I was back outside your home. I went inside but there was no one about, so I tried to find someone, but still I couldn't find anyone. Eventually, I ended up in the nursery and Daniel was sat up in his cot-he looked so pleased to see me. I gave him a cuddle and told him a story. He needed changing...I could hear you and Lord Cromwell were...busy and no one else was about, so I did it myself and then I thought I'd take him for a walk...I lost track of time...I'm so sorry...we were going to come back...I promise...I'm sorry, so, so sorry,'

* * *

'I'm never letting you out of my sight again,' I said, hugging a sleeping Daniel tightly to me, as I sat in the window seat in our chamber, leaning on Thomas, who had his arms round me.

'I second that,' whispered Thomas, kissing me on the cheek, then leaning forward to kiss his son. Thomas had been as shaken, as I, by the nights events but unlike me, he was good at controlling his emotions-unlike me.

The three of us sat there a moment longer, in complete peace, only being disturbed by a knock at the chamber door.

'Sorry to disturb you both,' said Edmund, coming into the room slowly, 'but I thought you'd like to know that the physician has see Katherine,'

Poor Katherine, despite the heartache she had caused this evening, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She had collapsed in tears on the way back to the house, Edmund having to carry her the rest of the way. She had looked so sick and pale when we had got her indoors and to a bedroom, that I feared she had made herself seriously ill.

'How is she?'

'Sleeping now,' replied Edmund, quietly, 'the physician said she is covered in bruises and has at least two broken ribs...but is likely to make a full recovery,'

'Poor child,' said Thomas, getting to his feet, 'if I had my way, Culpepper would have been in the gallows long ago. Is the physician still here? I want him to take a look at Bathsheba before he goes,'

'I'm fine, Thomas,' I sighed, feeling sleepy, 'just tired,'

'You've had a terrible shock,' said Thomas, kneeling down in front of me and placing a hand on the side of my face, causing me to smile as I felt his skin against mine.

'Please Thomas, I just want to be with you and Daniel,'

Thomas nodded his head and got to his feet, turning to face Edmund, who looked almost as tired and as stressed as me.

'Edmund can you pay the physician for me. I will repay you tomorrow. And...' as Thomas spoke, he offered his hand to Edmund, 'and thank you for all your help this evening, especially in finding Daniel,'

I watch with a tired smile as Thomas and Edmund shook hands, putting aside their differences, after weeks of arguing. After Edmund had left, Thomas came back over to me and Daniel.

'I think it's time that we put Daniel down in his cot,'

'Please, just let me have one more cuddle,' I said, before handing Thomas his baby son. In truth, the moment I handed Daniel to Thomas, I started to panic and felt as though part of me was missing, but as soon as I saw Thomas craddling his son, I knew everything would be alright.

'Come, Daniel, let's put you down, then I think it's time we got your poor mother to bed,'

But by the time Thomas had put Daniel to bed, I had fallen fast asleep in the window seat.

* * *

'I'm going to make you a deal, Bathsheba,' said Thomas, pulling me against him and running his fingers through my hair, 'I'll be nice to Edmund and you...'

'And I what, Lord Cromwell?' I smiled, resting my head against his shoulder. It was early morning and it was baking hot. So hot, in fact, that I had persuaded Thomas to have breakfast outside, which was why the two of us were now sat on blanket under a tree, watching Daniel crawl around it.

'And you can stop talking to Elizabeth and the Queen about what goes on in our bedroom,'

'And on your desk,' I added, innocently, as I watch a look of horror appear on Thomas' face.

'You told them that? What else?' exclaimed Thomas, 'wait, I do not want to know...just let's make a deal,'

I sat there and pretended to think about it for a moment, trying desperately not to laugh at my poor husband. Was it possible that Lord Cromwell really that easily embarrassed?

'As long as you promise,' I finally answered, pulling Daniel on to my lap, 'that you stop letting the Sweat bother you. I promise, no I know, God is not going to take any of us away...well not for a good few years yet,'

'I swear,' said Thomas, taking Daniel off my lap and holding him up, 'now Daniel, if your mother swears to keep her part, will you make sure she does for me,'

Daniel looked at his father and nodded his little head up and down, before looking at me seriously.

'Hey!' I cried, fanning shock, 'don't turn my son against me,'

'I need some allies round here,' said Thomas, kissing his baby son on the head, 'lord even Gregory seems to have take his step-mother's over his own father's,'

'That's because he knows only too well what you're like to live with,' I smiled, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek, 'that's why he took my side when I had that bloody desk of yours removed from our bedroom...besides you've always got Kate to defend you...talk of the devil,'

As we spoke both Kate and Lily-Anna came running down the garden towards us, Lily-Anna stopping occasionally as she was wearing one of Kate's hoods and it kept falling off as she ran. When they finally reached us and they both kissed us good morning, before tucking into the bread, cheese and meat that was laid out on the blanket.

'Kate!' I cried, seeing how she wolfed down her food, whilst Lily-Anna just nibbled daintily on some bread, 'could you at least try to eat like a lady,'

'Sorry, mummy,' she said, still crewing on her food, causing Thomas to laugh and me to roll my eyes.

'Where's Maddie?'

'She doesn't want to eat with us,' chirped Lily-Anna, 'she says she's not going to leave her room until you two grow up and kick that dirty trollop out of our house,'

'Lily-Anna! Where did you learn such words?'

'I'm just saying what Maddie said?' she smiled innocently, before hanging her head, 'I'm sorry mummy and dada,'

'I've had enough of this!' I said, getting to my feet and placing my hands on hips. I couldn't believe Maddie would say such things, especially knowing what Katherine had been through, 'I'm going to have a word with her,'

'Bathsheba,' said Thomas, catching hold of my hand, 'just leave her be from the moment,'

'Grandfather! Auntie Bathsheba!' cried Henry and Frances, running through the garden with Elizabeth following, carrying Catherine in her arms. I sat back down as they joined us on the rug for breakfast.

'We were not expecting you this morning, Elizabeth,' smiled Thomas, putting an arm round my shoulder-I could sense this was a hint to keep my part of our deal.

'I thought I'd see how you all were doing after last night,' she replied, putting Catherine down on the rug and taking Daniel from Thomas, 'plus I said I'd help Bathsheba look after Katherine,'

'I thought you did not like her,'

'We're not friends, father,' said Elizabeth, reaching for some bread and cheese, as Daniel wiggled on her lap, 'but women, unlike men, rally round each other when one is in trouble,'

'That's a very harsh assessment, Elizabeth,'

'But true,' I added, picking up Catherine and looking at my husband with a smile, 'the Queen in her last letter told me that Brandon's wife as left him and that he spends every hour of the days wallowing in self pity,'

'So she finally saw sense,' said Thomas cheerfully, getting to his feet, 'could not have happened to a more deserving man...well I should be off,'

Thomas kissed his children and grandchildren goodbye and I got to my feet as well and walked a little way back towards the house with him, still holding Catherine in my arms. When we got a little way away from the group, we stopped and Thomas put his arms round my waist and pulled towards him.

'Remember your promise,' smiled Thomas, nodding his head in the direction of Elizabeth, who was chatting with Kate, as Lily-Anna and Henry played 'it' round the tree.

'If you remember yours, Lord Cromwell,' I replied, returning his smile.

* * *

'So,' whispered Elizabeth, as we walked down the corridor, free of children now, except Daniel, who Elizabeth was still holding, 'things seem to be a lot better between you and father,'

'We talked,'

'You talked?' she said slowly, as if not understanding my words, 'you talked,'

'We talked,' I smiled, remembering my promise but having watch Thomas around court over the years, I knew there were always ways to bend the rules, 'twice...well three, if you included this morning,'

'So everything is back to normal, then,' smiled Elizabeth, slipping an arm through one of mine, 'you and father are happy. Gregory is happy, so I'm happy. Everyone is happy, except...'

'Except poor Katherine,'

'Yes, except poor Katherine,'

We stopped in the hall, just by the staircase. We were both on our way to see Katherine, but I suspect, neither of us really knew what to say to comfort her. She had left that bastard, which was a good thing, but what would happen to her now. She had no family to go to and no money of her own. All I could hope, was that Queen Anne would take pity on her and let her remain at Court-but was that really for the best, knowing how close Culpepper was to the King.

'Excuse miss, I'm looking for Lord Cromwell,'

An unknown voice, spoken in a strong South London accent, brought me and Elizabeth out of our thoughts. We both turned and saw a rather elderly man, though he seemed to be in good health, stood in my door way. I looked him up and down, trying to figure out who this stranger was. We often got beggars at our door, asking for help, as well as travellers from England, looking for a place to stay. He had no luggage with him and his clothes, while they were very well worn, were not the clothes of a beggar-and what would a bagger from London, be doing in Dusseldorf?

'Lord Cromwell is at court today,' I replied, approaching the stranger, 'I'm his wife, maybe I can be of some help?'

'His wife,' replied the man, with a wide smile, looking me up and down, 'so you're the infamous Lady Cromwell,'

'I wouldn't describe me as infamous, sir,' I snapped, slightly unnerve by this man and his manor, 'now what do you want?'

'I'm sorry, miss...Lady Cromwell,' he said, his manor a bit softer, 'please forgive me, but I am an old merchant friend of Lord Cromwell, from the days when he was a money lender. I have fallen on hard times and was looking for some aide, as you can see I am too old to work and start again. Are you expecting him home this evening?'

'Yes,' I answered, but I didn't want this shifty man in my house any longer than needs be, 'but not till much later, I'm afraid. It would be best for you to go to court and get a message to him, see if he can see you. I will get our coach to take you as far as the palace,'

* * *

After I'd giving orders to the stables, to take this man into the city and return as soon as he stepped foot out of the coach, me and Elizabeth went up to see Katherine.

Katherine was sat on the window seat of the study, listening to Edmund who was talking away to her. She seemed to have greatly recovered from the night before, though her body still bore the damages her husband had inflicted on her.

'Bathsheba,' she smiled as I came into the room and waved at me.

'You looking better today Katherine,' I said, sitting down next to her and handing her Daniel, who she hugged, 'Daniel's been worried about you,'

'Oh, has he, the sweetie,' she gushed, kissing him on the head, 'Bathsheba, Edmund has just been telling me about how God is all around us. That you do not have to go to church for him to hear your prayers. You can prayer to him anytime and anywhere and he will answer you, as long as you have him in your heart,'

I smiled as she spoke, but now felt more uneasy than before. The words Edmund had told Katherine, were those of the Reformation, of Lutheranism. They were the words Thomas had spoken to me on our first night together-but Edmund, since his arrival, had told me how deeply he held to the old faith. So why was he comforting Katherine with the words of Luther.


	10. Chapter 10

'(Thanks for the reviews. Maddie's having another tantrum, I'm afraid. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter.)

'My god, mother!' barked my oldest daughter, her beautiful face twisted with anger, 'you shout at me and yet you let that woman, who tried to steal your child sit in our study!'

'She didn't try and steal Daniel, Maddie,' I replied, trying not to loss my temper with her, 'she was lonely and scared,'

I had left Katherine in the hands of Elizabeth and Daniel, whilst I tried to find out from my Maddie, the reason for her vile words this morning and why she was refusing to come out of her chamber. But all I had got was scowls and angry words from my daughter, who use to be so sweet and liked feeding the ducks in the Thames.

'She's a little trollop!' roared back Maddie, banging the table with her fist, 'and a liar. Everyone says so,'

'You shouldn't listen to gossip, Maddie,'

'Why's that, mother?' she replied, coolly, 'are you scared what I'll find out about you and father?'

'You are treading a very fine line,' I warned, feeling anger boiling up inside me. I knew she was having a difficult time with the changes her body was going through, but she was just being vindictive. She hardly spoke to her sisters and when she did, they would usually end up arguing, while Thomas was lucky to a get 'yes' or 'no' from her and I just got the full brunt of her moods; the only person she spoke to properly was Edmund.

'Why? Because I'm the only one in this family who speaks the truth? Do you know how many men, that woman has been with? Almost every man in England, from what I hear!'

'Maddie!' I shouted, 'I...'

'At least she doesn't have children to think of,' Maddie screamed back, trying to stand face to face with me, 'I know what you and father were doing, when she was taking Daniel! You were more concerned about...god it's sick...then your own children!'

'Right that is it!,' I shouted at the top of my lungs, my temper finally reaching boiling point, 'how dare you speak to me like that! You are staying in your room until you're sorry! And don't think your getting any meals either!'

'I hate you,' she roared, but I choose not to reply to my child's hurtful tantrum and simply left the room, closing the door behind me. As I walked down the corridor, wondering where had I gone wrong in raising her, I heard her slamming her belongs around the chamber.

* * *

'So you have no family at all, Katherine?' asked Elizabeth, as I came back into the study. Elizabeth was sat on the floor, with some paper and ink before her, with Katherine sat opposite her, playing with Daniel.

'None,' replied Katherine, quietly, looking down at Daniel, who smiled back at her, 'well, I have brothers and sisters but none of them want anything to do with me,'

'I'm sure once they know your plight,' I smiled, joining the both of them on the floor, 'they'll be more than happy to help...Daniel be careful with Katherine, those broken rips won't heal themselves,'

'I'm fine, Bathsheba,' she replied, 'the physician gave something for the pain. Elizabeth thinks we should write to the Queen and ask if I can come home-though once I'm back in England, I'm not sure what will happen then,'

I was about to mention her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk but then thought better of it. If she was back in his hands, he'd soon have her whoring herself for him once more. I smiled and put an arm round her shoulder.

'The Queen is the kindest woman on Earth,' I reassured her, 'she'll make sure you are...'

But I didn't get a chance to finish, as screams and shouts came echoing down the hall from downstairs. Katherine burst into tears and held Daniel to her, as she heard the voice of her husband, threatening one of my servants.

'Don't let him near me,' she cried, 'please don't let him near me! He'll hit me, please don't let him hit!'

'Don't worry Katherine,' I replied, kissing her on top of the head as I got to my feet, 'Elizabeth and Daniel will look after you, and I'll make sure he never hurts you again,'

* * *

'Get off my property,' I shouted from the front door, to Culpepper, who was now standing in the garden, having been thrown from the house by two of Thomas' men, 'or...'

'Or you will do what, Lady Cromwell?' he smiled back, at me. A sinister smile, that showed off his white teeth and made me feel sick.

'Keep pushing me and you'll find out!'

He laughed, a really hollow laugh that scared me, though I refused to show it, unlike the young servant who stood next to me, clearly shaking.

'You'll get these two goons to knock me about or will you do it yourself, Lady Bathsheba Cromwell? Except I think I'll enjoy that. I bet your fire between the sheets. You're wasted on that weasel of a husband. You need a real man,'

'Except a real man doesn't beat women black and blue,' I screamed, picking up a plant pot and throwing it at him, but unfortunately he ducked and it smashed on the ground, 'get away from my family and stayed away from Katherine. If I catch you anywhere near her...'

'Don't worry,' he spat, 'I could not care less what happens to that trollop. Your welcome to her-I have my eye on other things,'

And with that he knocked off the servants, mounted his horse and galloped away. I glared after him, as he rode away and didn't go back into the house, until he was out of sight.

* * *

My blood was boiling, as I felt sick gathering in my stomach. I hated that man so much, he was just like my father-only rich.

'Lady Cromwell,' stuttered Ebba, the servant, who had been shaking beside me, 'but I caught that man leaving a letter on the table by the door. I swear it was still there when Albert and George threw him out but it's gone,'

'Letter? For Mistress Culpepper?'

'No, Lady Cromwell' she whispered, staring at the floor, 'I thought it was strange when I saw it out the corner of my eye-it was for Mistress Cromwell,'

Mistress Cromwell! Maddie! My chest tightened as I heard Culpepper's voice in my head-'I have my eye on other things,'

'Frau Schwartz! Frau Schwartz!' I screamed, running to the stairs, 'Frau Schwartz!'

'Yes, Lady Cromwell,'

Frau Schwartz, ran to the stop of the staircase, her face white with panic.

'Has Maddie left her chamber in the last half hour?'

'No, Lady Cromwell. I've been sat with her sewing for the last two hours,'

I breathed a sigh of relief as I heard her words. Maddie was safe from Culpepper's claws. The letter must have fallen down the side of the table or perhaps one of the other servants had taken and destroyed it. I would speak with them all later.

'Everything alright, Bathsheba?' asked Edmund, appearing at my side, 'I was in the garden walking and I heard shouting,'

'Yes,' I said, collecting my thoughts, 'we just had an unwelcome visitor, that's all,'

He smiled and nodded, then made his way to the stairs. As I watched him climb them, I remembered his words from this morning, when he had been comforting Katherine.

'Edmund,' I called and he turned back, smiling, 'thank you for helping with Katherine,'

'I was happy to help. She's had such a terrible time, though I must say, cousin, you must be a saint, leaving her alone with Daniel after what happened last night,'

'Daniel's the only person that brings her comfort,' I replied, my arms suddenly missing my baby boy, 'talking of comfort, Edmund, I couldn't help but overhear your words to Katherine earlier. I couldn't help but think, that they sounded like the words of Luther,'

'That's right,'

'But,' I started, uneasily, 'you often told me, you were of the old faith and regretted the day King Henry left Rome,'

'Well,' he paused, his smile failing but returning quickly to his lips, 'you've made me feel so welcome in your family and being round you all has made me rethink my faith,'

I smiled, as I watched him walk away, thinking that I should be happy and honoured with this answer but I still couldn't help but feeling uneasy.

* * *

'Got you!' laugh Lily-Anna, grabbing hold of my skirts and hugging my legs, 'it's your turn now, mummy,'

It was mid afternoon and Katherine, still upset over Culpepper's brief return had gone to bed for a lie down, while Elizabeth and her children had gone home. I still felt at bit uneasy about Edmund but pushed it to the back of my mind, as I played with my three youngest children. Me, Kate and Lily-Anna had tired Daniel out and he was now asleep in his cot, at the side of the room, whilst the three of us played blind man's bluff.

Lily-Anna took off her blindfold and handed it to me. I tied it around my eyes and both her and Kate spun me around three times before running away. I could hear Lily-Anna giggling as I tried to catch one of them, whilst not falling over, as being spun round had made me feel dizzy. I reach out thinking I had one of them, but they ran away, their shoes heavy on the floor. Then there was silence for a moment, before I heard the door slowly creak open.

'Dada,' I could hear both girls, quietly gasp, as I felt Thomas arms around my waist and him kiss me on the cheek. I turned around, as Thomas undid my blindfold and as it fell away, I saw my husband smiling back at me.

'Home early two afternoons in a row, Thomas,' I smiled, 'it must be a record. To what do we owe this honour?'

'Does a man need a reason to come home and see his beautiful wife, daughters...'

'Ahum!' coughed Kate, coming over to us and standing next to her father.

'Sorry,' continued Thomas, ruffling Kate's hair, before returning his hand to my waist, 'to see his beautiful wife, beautiful daughters and handsome baby son,'

'That's better,' remarked Kate, 'now dada, you're it,'

'It?'

'Yes, it,' I laughed, taking the blindfold from his hands, 'I was it but you walked into my trap, Thomas. So now I have to blindfold you...'

'Blindfold,' he exclaimed, as I tied the scarf around his eyes.

'Yes, blindfold, Lord Cromwell,' I whispered in his ear, 'you don't usually complain when I do this to you,'

'That's because I know I will enjoy what you've got planned,' he replied, placing his arms round waist and pulling me tightly to him. It was eleven years since we had first been together, but no matter how many years had passed, I still felt the same tingle up my spine, every time our bodies were close together. I leant forward and placed my lips on top of his mouth, finding him responding almost instantly. In the background, Kate made sick noses as Lily-Anna laughed, waking Daniel, who started to gurgle.

I tried not to laugh, as I spun him around, before running away to join the girls in hiding. But Thomas was a lot better at this game, than he'd been making out and he had soon caught me, then I caught Lily-Anna, who then caught Kate-though she claimed she just let her sister catch her.

The four of us continued to play, until Frau Schwartz came in and said that the girls dinner was ready. Both me and Thomas kissed them and told them we'd join them in a moment.

'Frau Schwartz,' called Thomas, 'could you take Daniel with you, as Lady Cromwell and I are going for a walk,'

'Of course, sir,' she said, her voice still shaking, as she had still not recovered from yesterday, 'you still trust me,'

'Yesterday, was not your fault, Frau Schwartz,' I smiled, taking Thomas' hand, 'it was no one's fault. Now we just have to put the past behind us and look to the future,'

* * *

Leaving Kate, Lily-Anna and Daniel with Frau Schwartz, me and Thomas went for a walk in the garden. The sun was still up and instead of it looking like evening, it felt as if it were the middle of the day, as Thomas place an arm round my waist as we walked. I rested my head against his shoulder, wondering if I should tell him about Edmund-but was I over reacting?

'Thomas..' I started, deciding it was best to tell him, as it would help put my mind at easy but Thomas interrupted me.

'You told me, you were carrying Daniel, under this tree,' said Thomas with a small smile, as he kissed me, gently on the forehead.

I smiled back, as I remembered that day. I had been feeling ill for a few days before that evening, but hadn't said anything, as I wanted a midwife to confirm the news before telling anyone. As soon, as she confirmed that I once again was with child, I couldn't wait to tell Thomas-though I did rather enjoy having a little secret, even if all the girls already knew. It was evening when I told him, he was going to be a father again and for some reason as I spoke, I had started to feel nervous.

'Do you know,' I smiled, going over to tree and sitting down underneath it, leaning against the trunk, 'it was first time, I had told you, you'd got me with child, without us having a row?'

'That cannot be true,' replied Thomas, softly, sitting down opposite me and looking at the ground, 'I was happy on all the times you told me,'

'You turned white when I told you about Kate,' I laughed, 'we rowed about you being away at court, when I told you about Lily-Anna and with Kate...well lets just say Kate's always been special,'

But as I spoke, his face looked suddenly looked so sad. I moved closer to him, kneeling in front of him and placed a hand on the side of his face. I leaned forward and kissed him, wanting to make whatever was wrong, better.

'But,' I continued, kissing him again, 'you have always been the greatest of fathers and husbands,'

Thomas smiled briefly, as he took hold of my hand and kissed it, before holding it tight against his chest, as he caressed it with his thumb.

'We've had a good life together, have we not, Bathsheba,'

'Yes,' I smiled, though in the pit of my stomach I was starting to feel panic build up inside me.

'And you know, how much I love you and that I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you,'

'Of course, Thomas,' I replied, as my chest tightened with worry, over where this conversation was leading. Something was wrong. It would never be another woman, Thomas was too much of a man for that,..no this must involve the King somehow-what lies had Culpepper been spreading now!

'You had a visitor today...'

'Culpepper,'

'No, another,' said Thomas, quietly, trying to control the emotion in his voice, 'a man claiming to be an old friend of mine, in need of help,'

I nodded my head, remembering the old man, whose strange manner had unnerved me and made me send him away from the house as quickly as possible.

'He's no friend of mine,' continued Thomas, placing his arms around me and pulling me to him. He kissed me on the lips, before bushing my hair away from my left ear and whispering, 'he's my father,'


	11. Chapter 11

(Thanks for all the great reviews. Glad everyone is enjoying the story. Have changed the names of Thomas' sisters as I was starting to get confused with all the different Katherines and Elizebeths. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter. RIP Thomas Cromwell)

_I should finish writing my report to the King but my mind keeps drifting to home. My poor heart has still not recovered from last night and the fear that my youngest son had been taken. I had not known terror like that for a long while-not since the day, when I held Bathsheba in my arms as blood poured from the bullet wound in her shoulder or the day, God decided to take Elizabeth and the girls. The Sweat is getting closer..._

_...no, I promised Bathsheba, I would not let my mind drift to such thoughts. We will survive this, we all will. _

_I try to write another line, but still my mind wanders home, but this time, it's to mine and Bathsheba's bed chamber. I think of the kiss she woke me up this morning with, pressing her body down on top of mine, her skin soft and warm on my finger tips as I gradually lift off her night gown... _

'_Lord Cromwell,' calls Johannes, one of my German secretaries , bringing my thoughts away my beautiful wife and back to my office, 'there's a gentleman here to see you,'_

'_Mmm,' I say shaking my head, 'who?'_

'_He says he's an old friend of yours from London,' he replies, in a very careful manor, 'he says he's fallen on hard times and is in need of help,'_

'_They're always old friends,' I smile, 'very well. Send him in,'_

_He nods and leaves. I return to my work, knowing that I will do what I always do in these situations. I will assist them as best I can, depending on the favour they are here to remind me of or how well I really know them, then send them on their way. Not that I am unfair in my patronage-far from it in fact. Serve me well, in any small way and you shall always be well rewarded._

'_Hullo Tommy,'_

* * *

_My hands shake, knocking the ink all over my reply to the King, as I hear the only voice that fills me with terror. Even the King, with the power of life and death over me, does not scare me as much as the man who now stands, smiling before my desk._

'_Father!' I gasp, my throat going bone dry as I speak. I have not seen this man in almost sixteen years, not since that day I meet him in the room of some dirty inn, to hand over those bags of coins and told him told him he was dead to me. I thought then that would be the last I ever saw of this scum, 'what the bloody hell are you doing here?'_

'_I've come to see my son, of course,' he smiles, that evil smile-it's almost toothless grin now, at me and I shiver, as if I'm still the little boy in Putney, 'that's not a very nice way to greet your long lost father, Tommy,'_

'_Don't call me that,' I reply, quietly sinking into my chair, my knuckles turning white as I grip on to the chair's hard leather arms. Why does he still have this affect on me? He must be nearing his eighties, (although he still looks health), but he still causes me to shake in fear! _

_'Why not? It's your name, Tommy,'_

'_No, it's not!' I snap, jumping to my feet, 'my name is Thomas! My mother called me Thomas, Mary and Evelyn always call Thomas, my wife calls me Thomas. The only person to call me Tommy was you, whenever you needed me to help you in your dirty work or when you wanted to beat me,'_

_I stare hard at him, no longer feeling scared after my outburst. I hate him, more than I have ever hated anyone. I want him to suffer, to be as scared as he used to make mother, my sisters and I scared but he still smiles at me, as he sits down in the opposite chair._

'_I don't think you should be talking to me about dirty work, son. What happened to poor Queen Anne had all the signs of your handy work and as for what you did to poor Thomas More...I tell you what, Tommy, I was actually ashamed of you,' _

'_Ashamed of me!' I gasp, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, 'you, the man who use to beat his wife and children black and blue, is ashamed of me!'_

_There is silence between the two of us. He, for once in his miserable existence, actually looks repentant and stares hard at the floor, but I do not care if he is sorry or not, (more than likely, it's a trick). _

'_You always were a difficult child, Tommy,' he mutters, studying his hands, 'you never did know how to behave. It broke your poor mother's heart when you got yourself thrown in jail,'_

'_And why did they throw me in there?' I snap, suppressing any urge to hit him. Johannes appears in the doorway, looking concerned but I signal for him to leave and with a deep breath, I take control of voice, 'because I beat you black and blue, after you had hit mother so badly her face was almost unrecognisable,'_

'_Me and your mother should never have married. If only she hadn't got herself with Mary...'_

_As he speaks, I start to think on Bathsheba with our children, and Gregory and Elizabeth with theirs. I do not want him anywhere near them. Even the thought of him being in the same country as them makes my stomach turn. He will hurt them, the way he always hurt his own family. He will ruin the peace I have gained since that day when I paid him off and told the world he was dead._

'_Does your wife know about your time in prison?' _

'_Of course! Bathsheba knows everything. Every horrible little thing you ever did, Bathsheba knows about! About the times you beat me, the times you beat mother, the times you lost all our money, the time you almost killed a man. Bathsheba knows...'_

'_But she doesn't know that I ain't dead, does she?' he smiles, 'she very pretty, Tommy, you've done well for yourself, though I don't think she's as pretty as the other one...'_

'_Don't you dare bring Elizabeth in to this!' I shout, banging my fist hard on the table, causing papers to fly, but then I feel chill run through me, 'how do you know what Bathsheba looks like?'_

'_I paid her a little visit earlier,' he replies, a smile returning to his lips, as I feel dread creep over me even more, 'oh, don't worry, Tommy, I kept your secret. Told her and this other girl I was an old friend of yours... She's not what I was expecting. Mary and Evelyn made her sound like the kind of girl you find in one of the Southwark stews but no...though I bet when you have her on her back, she behaves as whore!'_

'_How dare you talk about my wife and the mother of my children in such away,' I shout, storming over to where the bastard sits. I must have scared him, because the moment he realises, he jumps to his feet and he takes a step back but I grab a fist full of his shirt and pull him back to me, 'you do that again and I'll snap your neck. She is the mother of your grandchildren!'_

'_So,' he says, with a nervous smile that seems out of place on him, 'you admit that I am your father,' _

'_You don't smell of drink,' I sneer, letting him go and turning away from him. My first ever memory of him, is of his breath sinking of cheap beer, 'is that why your here? Ran out of money to spend in the taverns?'_

'_I don't want your money, Tommy,' he sighs quietly, causing me to let out a little laugh. He always wants money. Even when I had very little and Elizabeth and I had only just start to make ends meet, he was on our doorstep with a begging bowl in hand, 'I'm dying, Tommy,'_

_Now I really do start to laugh. I have heard all this before and often been the one, who had to deal with those he'd taken money from, when the 'dying' man was discovered to alive and well and on the run._

'_I mean it this time, Tommy,'_

'_You said that last time,' I say, managing to control my laughter, 'what are you dying of now, father? Unable to fall asleep because the moment you close your eyes, you'll die unless you can get your hands on a cure worth...'_

'_I mean it!' he says frantically, grabbing hold of my hand, (he is still quite strong), and holds it against his stomach, 'I have a lump in my stomach that's growing and as it grows bigger, it will slowly killing me,'_

'_I was there when mother died,' I muttered, as I feel the lump he speaks of, 'it took weeks for her to die from the injuries you gave her. Just when I thought I'd got her to safety, she dies because of you,'_

_I thought I had finally got my poor mother to a place safety but the last beating he had given her was so bad, it caused her to bleed inside, so that she slowly died before my eyes. It why I fear for Bathsheba. Why I send her mad, trying to protect her-I cannot fail her, the way I failed my mother._

'_I know, Tommy and I deeply regret the past but I can change the future,' he says with a small smile, 'I want to make amends, Tom...,'_

'_No!' I reply, defiant, pulling my hand away and staring at him hard, 'no, it's too late, father,'_

'_Mary and Evelyn have made peace with me, why...'_

'_That is their choice, father. I do not bully women. If they forgive you, I will not force them to change their minds but as for me father, I do not forgive,'_

'_Tommy, please,'_

'_Now you listen to me, father!' I say, my voice cold and hard, 'I have done many things in my life that I'm ashamed of and while sometimes I doubt myself, as Bathsheba always says, behind it all was the best of intentions, but you father were just rotten. You lied, you cheated, you stole. You beat your wife, your daughters, your son, not to mention all the others who you turned your fists on. You want me to forgive you, yet you come in here, trying to blame your behaviour on me and worse of all, you call my wife a whore,'_

_He is silent for a moment and I hope that he has finally realised that he visit here is futile. I hated him when I was a boy and I hate him now._

'_You know me, Tommy, I was never one to think before I speak,' he say, with a small sigh, shrugging his shoulders, 'besides I was worried about you. Mary said that you got yourself cuckold by your maid,'_

_There's no point denying that Mary and Evelyn dislike Bathsheba and Bathsheba feels the same about them. I wish they had all found a way to live with each other but at least none of them have forced me to choose between them. Though the way he speaks, makes me feel as though he is taunting me. I take a deep breath._

'_Don't worry, Tommy, I can see all those children are yours, especially that girl who was hanging upside down from the tree as I left the house. I would like to meet them, Tommy,'_

'_But I do not want you anywhere near them!' I shout, marching over to my desk and unlocking the top draw, pulling out a bag of coins, which I throw at him and he catches with ease, 'now leave,'_

'_Tommy,'_

'_Leave,' I shout, grabbing hold of his arm and pushing him towards the door,' you almost ruined my life, I will not let you ruin theirs too. Now here's the door, use it and I do not want to ever lay eyes on you again,'_

_I throw open the door and startle the secretaries, working in the outer chamber. They have clearly been listening but I do not care-I just want this man gone for good!_

'_Tommy!'_

'_Leave! Or would you prefer the more direct route of the window?,'_

_I slam the door on his face and return to my desk. I slump down heavy in the chair and place my hands together in prayer. God forgive me, but I cannot forgive him for what he did, even if he is genuinely dying. He hurt and scarred too many people for him to warrant my forgiveness-I still bear the scars he left. I constantly fear poverty and hunger-I fear my family dying in filth; that's why I work so many long, hard hours for them. I need to protect them. Maddie hates me at the moment, but I know the evils men can do to the innocent. And Bathsheba, she has suffered more than anyone should at the hands on men. Oh God, he saw them! He went to my home and saw my wife and children! What damage has he done? I need to be with them!_


	12. Chapter 12

(Thanks for the lovely reviews. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter. MrsPhantomSylvia I will start work on the side story tomorrow, I promise:))

'Your father,' I said, slowly, repeating Thomas words to me, not believing what my husband had just told me, 'that man, who I spoke to earlier was your father?'

'Yes, Bathsheba,' answered Thomas, placing an hand gently on the side of my face, 'he's my father,'

I'm not sure why, I did what I did next, as Thomas looked so troubled as he once again tried to inform me that his father had been to our home, but for some reason I burst out laughing. Thomas' father was long dead, dying in some loathsome tavern a few years before I came to meet Thomas. He was dead, Thomas had told me so, on one of our first nights together-he had told me his father had died after a night of drinking, choking on his own vomit.

'Oh Thomas,' I laughed, throwing my arms around his neck and kissing him on the lips, 'my poor husband, they are working you too hard. You need a rest. Why don't you and me go away from here for a few days? You need some peace,'

'No, Bathsheba,' he said, more firmly this time, his dark eyes staring straight into mine, 'my father is alive. He is alive and was here earlier. I have told him...'

'Your father is alive,' I murmured, feeling my body turn cold as Thomas words finally sunk in, 'but you told me he was dead,'

I pulled away from my husband and got to my feet, hugging my arms around my waist-I suddenly felt so alone.

'I know,' I heard Thomas say, 'I paid him off a few years before we met and declared him dead,'

'You told me he was dead,' I said, my voice sounding cold and emotionless. I wasn't really sure who I was speaking to, myself or Thomas. I felt so cold and suddenly everything good that I had with Thomas, suddenly seemed wrong.

'I have told him to stay away from us,' Thomas' voice echoed in my mind, 'if he comes near you or the children, I'll...'

'You told me he was dead!' I scream at top of voice, 'you lied to me!'

I was suddenly wild with anger. I screamed to loud that I could feel my body shake with violence. My husband, the man I had trusted above all others, the man who I would give my life for, had been lying to me for eleven years.

'Bathsheba, I...'started Thomas quietly. The colour had drained from his face and his eyes looked so sad. He put out a hand and tried to join it with mine, but I knocked him away, 'I was trying to protect you,'

'Don't tell me that, Thomas!' I shouted, putting my hands to my head and pulling at my hair, 'you told me he was dead! You lied to me! I thought I could trust you! I thought of all the men in the world, I had found someone who would never hurt me! Who would never lie to me!'

'You have, Bathsheba,' cried Thomas grabbing my arms and pulling me to him, 'you have! Listen to me, I would rather kill myself than hurt a hair on your head. I thought I was doing the right thing...Elizabeth...'

'Elizabeth,' I replied, feeling my heart leap into my mouth, 'Elizabeth knew he was alive?

* * *

'Bathsheba!' shouted Thomas, as he ran after me but despite the tears falling from my eyes, I managed somehow to out run him, 'Bathsheba!'

Elizabeth knew the truth. He had told her the truth but not me. I thought I had, long ago lost any jealous towards Thomas' tragic first wife. It was wrong to compare our marriage to their's, as all love is different, but then, I had thought our love was based on our painful pasts and the need for each other!

I threw open the door of the house with such force that I scared two of the servants, who were talking in the hallway, causing on to drop the jug she was hold, but I just grabbed my skirts and ran up the stairs. Reaching our chamber, I locked the door and collapsed in a heap on the floor.

'Bathsheba,' called Thomas, trying to open the door, 'open this door!'

'No!'

'Bathsheba, please open the door. We need to talk,' he tried the door again, 'for Christ sake, just open the door-it is my chamber to,'

'We have more rooms than people in this house, so I suggest you pick one!'

'I do not want to pick one! I want to sleep in the chamber and in the bed, which I share with my wife,' he said quietly, 'please open the door, Bathsheba,'

'I can't, Thomas,' I sobbed, 'I can't'

I heard him sigh and slump to the floor. We were both now back to back, only there was a wooden door between us and I still couldn't bring myself to unlock it.

'Do you remember the first night we spent together?'

'Don't Thomas,'

'You slept in my arms the whole night and by the fire light I could see those horrible marks on your back. They looked so painful-worse than anything I had ever suffered... You laugh, every time I say this, but I loved you from the moment I saw you doing the washing in the yard. Do you know how beautiful you look? It was not just lust, I loved you. I wanted you and I wanted to protect you,'

'I don't doubt your love, Thomas!' I shouted, banging my head against the door, 'but what I doubt is what it's based on. You always said that the love between us, was based on the fact we understood each other's pasts, in a way no one else could. That it made us know how the other worked and how we need each other to work, but all this time, you've been lying to me!'

'It was never meant to hurt you, Bathsheba,' called Thomas, frantically, his head too, hitting the door, 'I killed him off before we met. It was better all round if he was dead...please, unlock the door, Bathsheba! I do not work without you,'

'Yes you do, Thomas,' I answered, softly, 'yes you do. I never asked anything about your marriage to Elizabeth. I can live with sharing your love, but you told her something that you hide from me for eleven years!'

'And do you know what he did to her? He drove her to tears on everyone of their meetings. One time his drunken works led her to hysterics and me to almost commit murder. When I saw those marks on your back, I knew I could never let anyone hurt you and after what you told me about your father, I knew I did not want him near you...And if you think I work without you, you are wrong. If we had never met, I would not be here now-I'd be long dead,'

There's silence between us, as my mind raced. I wanted to unlock the door and for everything to once again be as it was but I was still not sure it could be.

'Dada,' I heard Kate say, 'is everything fine between you and mummy,'

Hearing Kate's words caused me to cry some more, as I heard the concern in her young voice. Me and Thomas had argued, like most couples over the years, but I always hated it when the children where in hearing distance of our rows; not because of the nature of the arguments but because I wanted them to have no bad memories of their parents.

'Your father has done something very wrong, Kate,' Thomas said mournfully, 'and I need to ask her forgiveness,'

'Don't use our daughter to get to me, Thomas,' I pleaded, 'I'm still angry,'

'I know and you have every right to be. I should have told you the truth and I swear, if I could turn back time, I would have told you everything,'

'Do you remember,' said Kate, as I heard her sit down next to Thomas, 'when we lived at Chelsea and I threw dada important chain in the river and mummy had to jump in after it,'

'Yes, Kate,' both of us laughed. The three of us had been sat in the garden, me and Thomas telling Kate that her parents were going to get married and that we were finally all going to live together. Kate had been so excited, so when Thomas said he had to return to Court, she had got upset and in her tantrum had thrown Thomas chain of office into the Thames, causing Thomas to almost have a heart attack and me to strip down to my shift and jump in after it.

'I still can't believe you can't swim, Lord Cromwell,' I smiled, drying my eyes on the sleeve of my dress, 'I thought you could do everything,'

'Yes but I'm not a fish,' replied Thomas, with a small laugh, 'besides have you seen the Thames round Putney, it's not exactly clean,'

'Most of the Thames is not exactly clean, Thomas'

'I liked it when it was just the three of us,' continued Kate, in her still childlike voice, 'we had fun. And I liked it when Gregory was with us, then Maddie, then Lily-Anna and then Daniel. We have fun, even if mummy doesn't always see the funny side,'

I thought back then on all my happy memories. Would knowing that Thomas' father was alive really have changed things? After all the man had left us alone for eleven years and I certainly wouldn't have wanted him near my family, even if I knew he was alive. I was hurt but our lives had been happy and they still would be.

'Mummy doesn't always see the funny side, Kate,' I said opening the door and peering out. Both Thomas and Kate were sat against the door, both looking at me with the same dejected look on their face, 'because mummy doesn't want you or anyone else to hurt themselves,'

I sat down with them then and Kate rested her head on my shoulder, as I felt Thomas' arm on my back.

* * *

'I'm still hurt, Thomas,' I said as we got ready for bed and Thomas came over to me and slipped his arms around my waist, 'you have really upset me,'

'I know,' he answered, looking straight into my eyes with a sad smile on his lips, 'I will make it up to you, I swear,'

'I know you will,' I said, kissing him gently, before resting my head against his shoulder and enjoyed feeling him holding me to him, 'I know you will,'

'Mummy, dada,' came the voice of our youngest daughter as she came slowly into the room, holding tightly to her favourite doll with little tears in her green eyes. She was a perfect mixture of me and Thomas, though Thomas and others always said, she looked just like me, 'I don't feel well,'

'Oh, my poor little angel,' I said, as she ran into my arms, as Thomas looked on concerned, 'what's wrong?'

'My ear hurts,'

I kneeled down beside her and peered into the ear that she was pointing at. It was a tiny bit red but I had a feeling it was more to do with having hear me and her father argue than any real illness.

'Well, it is a bit red...oh no,'

'What is it, mummy?' she cried, concerned.

'I can't see your brain, only loads and loads of potatoes!'

'Oh silly mummy!' laughed Lily-Anna, throwing her arms round me, 'can I sleep in with you two tonight?'

* * *

I watched Thomas and Lily-Anna sleep by the light of a low burning fire. They both looked so peaceful, Thomas with his arm protectively around the both us, while Lily-Anna looked like a sleeping angel, as she wiggled between the two of us. Leaning forward, I gently kissed them both, before quietly slipping out of bed, as I was in desperate need of a drink.

* * *

In the stillness of the kitchen, I sat at the wooden table and slowly drank a glass of slightly stale water. Putting my hands together, I said a prayer to God asking to look after Elizabeth and her and Thomas' daughters. I was still hurt at not being told of my father-in-laws existence, but what's done is done. It had really altered nothing of the past and now all I was concerned with, was making sure he didn't hurt my husband and children.

As I said 'amen,' and took another sip, my thoughts were disturbed by the sound of whistling, that caused me to jump, especially as the kitchen door creaked opened.

'Sorry to startle you, Bathsheba,' said Edmund, with a smile, 'I did not realise you were still up,'

'Take's ok,' I replied, 'I just needed a drink and Lily-Anna has an earache, so is sleeping in with us-but she wriggles so much, its hard to sleep,'

He pours himself some water from the jug and got an apple from the barrel before sitting down to join me.

'I hope you do not mind me asking,' he asked, taking a bite from the apple, 'is everything well between you and Lord Cromwell?'

'We are good,' I replied, with a smile, 'we always were,'

Edmund nodded and looked down at his glass of water. There was silence between the two of us for a moment, as he stared hard at that glass.

'It is just I heard both of you arguing earlier,' he said, carefully, 'and it sounded like very harsh words were said,'

'There was,' I replied, still sounding cheerful but really was feeling uneasy inside, 'but we've talked and everything is good,'

'I'm glad to hear it. It's just...'

'It's just?'

'Well, cousin,' he spoke his words slowly, his fingers played with the glass, 'it's just I cannot imagine it is easy being a second wife,'

'It's not,' I said, dropping my cheery tone and speaking carefully as Edmund, trying not show the uneasiness I felt, 'but once you realise that all relationships between two people are different, you learn you have nothing to be jealous about,'

'Maybe,' sighed Edmund, looking at me from across the table, his eyes studying my face, 'but as a man, who has suffered the pain of having to bury a much beloved wife, I cannot imagine taking another and if I ever did, I would feel sorry for her, having to constantly be compared with her predecessor,'

It seemed strange, but in the days since Thomas and Edmund had started to get along with each other, I was finding myself extremely uncertain about him. I couldn't quite place my finger on the reason, but I was something about his recent actions that made me feel that I had been wrong to trust this man. He got on well with the girls, especially Maddie, not to mention Katherine, Gregory and Elizabeth. He had never said or done anything menacing or threatening but his words were starting to seem out of place; not fitting in with other words he had spoken.

'Not that I'm suggesting thats how it is with Lord Cromwell,' continued Edmund, leaning forward and taking hold of my hand, 'I have said too much,'

'Yes you have,' I answered, forcing a smile to cover up my nerves, 'it's time I was returning to bed...goodnight Edmund,'

'Goodnight Bathsheba,'

* * *

I was being silly, I thought, as I went back into my bedroom. There was nothing sinister about Edmund, it was just me overreacting. I had been so overjoyed when Edmund had arrived-it was like I had a family, in the same model as everyone us. Perhaps I had let this blind me to his faults.

'You all right, Bathsheba,' mumbled Thomas' sleepily, as I climbed back into bed and he replaced his arm around my waist, holding me and Lily-Anna protectively.

'I just needed a drink,' I whispered, 'sorry did I wake you?'

'This little one will not stop wriggling,' said Thomas, kissing his sleeping daughter gently on the head.

'Our little angel,' I replied, with a smile, kissing her as well. I snuggled down beneath the covers and started to feel my eyelids heavy with sleep, 'you're right Thomas, Edmund does whistle through his teeth,'


	13. Chapter 13

(Thank you so much for the reviews. Hope everyone likes this chapter. :))

'I want my dress to as pretty as the ones you wear, mummy,' chirped Lily-Anna, as I helped her down from the coach, her little hands clutching on to her favourite doll, Tamar, 'then we can both look like princesses,'

'You already look like a princess, Lily-Anna,' I smiled, as I put her down on the ground and she walked over to take Katherine's hand. It had been almost a week since Katherine had come to stay with us and I enjoyed having her around, because whilst I saw Elizabeth most days, it was nice to have some female company in the house.

'Why can't I just wear black?' grumbled Kate, as she jumped down from the coach, still annoyed with me because I wouldn't let her rid her horse into town, 'like dada?'

'Because you are a lady, Kate,' I reminded her, tired of having the same conversation, 'and besides, I don't want my daughters looking like they're dressed for a funeral,'

Kate grumbled something as she joined Lily-Anna and Katherine, who were looking at a stall selling fruit from distant, exotic lands, but they were more interested in the talking caged bird than the fruits, the stall owner was trying to sell them.

'Now Maddie, are you sure you don't want a new dress?' I asked as she climbed down from the coach, followed by Edmund, 'I really don't mind you having a new one for when the Queen visits,'

'No mother,' she smiled. She had been so much more well behaved in the past week, hardly raising her voice to anyone and even laughing with the rest of the family, for the first time in ages, 'I am happy just to wear the pale blue one you gave me,'

I nodded and kissed her on the cheek, hoping that this change in behaviour was going to last.

'Now you be good for Edmund,' I smiled back, 'and remember you can buy as many books as you want,'

'I promise, I'll look after Maddie, Bathsheba,' said Edmund, putting a hand gently on my shoulder.

I nodded. I was still unsure about certain aspects of Edmund's character but he was so good with the girls, even Kate had started to warm to him. Besides Edda was going with them, to help them with the books and, despite being young, Edda was a good girl, who would always tell the truth.

* * *

'We'll take three meters of the pink,' I said to the cloth merchant, as I kissed Lily-Anna, who was sat on top of the table with part of the pink fabric wrapped round her head, on the noise, 'now Kate, what colour would you like your dress to be?'

I put Lily-Anna back down on the floor and pulled Kate, who was still grumbling about not being allowed to wear black, towards the table.

'I want that one,' she mutter, putting her finger down without looking on one of the bales of fabric lying on the table, 'I want that colour,'

'No, Kate,' I replied, 'you are not wearing white. Lord, it be covered in dirty with seconds of you putting it on!'

'How about red?' suggested Katherine holding up the fabric, only for Kate to turn her noise up at it, 'or maybe blue?'

'How about gold, Kate or silver?'

'No,' she replied, shaking her head frantically from side to side, 'and no,'

I looked at her and rolled my eyes. She truly was her father's daughter. Even when she was a newborn baby, she would behave for no one but her father. On the nights when Thomas was away, she would scream non stop all night, but the moment Thomas would appear in the garden of our house in Chelsea, she would be the perfect, happy baby for her father.

'Pink,' cried Katherine, clapping her hands together, 'I loved pink when I was a little girl,'

Kate looked at her, opened mouthed at the thought of having to look and behave like a little girl-she was still recovering from the shock that she couldn't got to Cambridge, like her brother had done, when she was older.

'Pink!'

'Kate,' I said, trying not to sound frustrated, 'you need a new dress for best. Please just pick a colour,'

'Mmm,' she sighed, putting one finger to her lip as she ran another finger over the different fabrics, 'I pick...I pick that one,'

'Kate, that's black!' I cried, 'right...Kate, you can have black but you will have to have pink to go with it,'

Kate stood there for a moment, her mind ticking over my proposal. She looked just like Thomas when she was deep in thought, her lips poised together, while little lines appeared on her forehead.

'That seems fair, mummy,' she said, after awhile, 'and I promise, I won't rip this one climbing trees,'

'I'll hold you to that, Kate,' I smiled, before turning to merchant and saying in German, 'and we'll take three meters of the black and two of the pink,'

We paid for the fabric and arrange for them to be delivered to the house later that day. Then we made to leave, to go in search of medicine for Katherine's ribs, but as I went to take Lily-Anna's hand, I found she was no longer in the shop.

'Katherine look after Kate,' I called, as I ran out of the cloth merchant's and into the busy street, 'Lily-Anna! Lily-Anna!'

* * *

I screamed my youngest daughter's name at the top of my lungs as I charged down the street in search of her. My heart was pounding. Where was she? I had only turned my back for a moment! She had been sat in the corner of the shop, playing with her doll-but now she was gone!

'Lily-Anna! Lily-Anna!' I screamed, knocking into a woman carrying milk, 'sorry! Lily-Anna!'

'Yes, mummy?'

I looked up to Heaven, in thanks, as I heard Lily-Anna's sweet young voice. I turned round and saw my daughter was sat on a barrel, munching on an apple, as she held Tamar with her other hand.

'My darling daughter,' I cried, throwing my arms around her and hugging her tight, 'don't you ever do that to me again, do you hear me?'

'Yes, mummy,'

'Now,' I said, wiping some tears away from eyes, 'where did you get that apple from? I hope you didn't steal it,'

'Don't angry, mummy,' she smiled, jumping off of the barrel, 'dada's friend gave it to me,'

'Dada's friend,' I repeated, slowly. My stomach churned as Lily-Anna pointed a finger at the man, who had given her the apple. It was the old man, who had visited our home almost a week ago and whose appearence had caused so much trouble between me and Thomas-it was Thomas' father.

'Hullo Bathsheba,' he smiled, an almost toothless grin as he came towards me, 'we haven't meet properly, I ...'

I hated this man so much-almost as much as I hated my own father. He looked just like him in many ways, with that sleazy smile and the over confident look in his eyes-usually the result of heavy drinking. I had made sure my father could never hurt me again and I wasn't about to let this copy of him hurt my family!

'You stay away from my children!' I screamed, grabbing hold of Lily-Anna's arm, 'and my husband! Stay away from my family!'

* * *

'How many times has your mother and I told you,' cried Thomas, trying not to shout, 'you never, ever talk to strangers!'

'I'm sorry, dada' sobbed Lily-Anna, who was sat on my knee, 'I'm so sorry,'

'Please do not cry, little one,' said Thomas, kneeling down and putting his arms round his daughter, 'I'm not angry with you. I'm angry with that man for hurting you,'

'But he didn't do anything bad, dada,' she pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks. My heart almost broke, hearing her sobs. I had yelled at her something terrible as I brought her to the court, to tell Thomas. It was because she had scared me, walking off by herself, I told her, and because she could have been hurt and I might not have been able to find her.

'But he could have done,' replied Thomas, 'he could have done. Little one, that man is evil,'

'Thomas,' I pleaded, as Lily-Anna tears grew worse, ' your scaring her,'

'Dada sorry,' said Thomas, his face softening as he picked up his youngest daughter, 'he does not mean to shout at you. He just does not like the idea of you being in any danger. Now please, no more tears,'

Lily-Anna nodded her head, her little auburn curls bouncing up and down, then she wiped the tears away from her eyes with sleeve of her dress, before hugging her father.

'Yes, dada,'

'Now that's better,' smiled Thomas, kissing her on the forehead, 'you are getting heavy, little one! What's mummy been feeding you?'

'Silly dada,' she laughed, as Thomas put her back down and she went to sit on the window seat next to me and started to sing to her doll, first in French, then in Italian. I kissed her on the head, before going over to Thomas, who was leaning against his desk, shaking his head from side to side.

'I promise you Thomas,' I said, in a low voice, 'I only turned my back for a moment,'

He put his arms around my waist and pulled me to him. I rested my head against his shoulder, in need of comfort, as he kissed me gently on the side of my head.

'I know. I know. Where is Kate and Maddie?'

'Maddie has gone to buy books with Edmund and Katherine has taken Kate to small fair that's in town,'

'Good,' smiled Thomas, kissing me again, before going over to the door and calling for Gregory, who came almost as soon as he was called.

'Yes, father,' he asked, hugging Lily-Anna, who ran over to him, the moment her older brother entered the room, 'it makes a change for you, Lily-Anna, to be the one a trouble,'

'Gregory,' sighted Thomas, taking hold of my hand, as he spoke, 'your grandfather's here,'

'Grandfather!' replied Gregory, looking almost uneasy as his father did, 'I thought...'

'So did I,' muttered Thomas, holding my hand even tighter, 'Bathsheba saw him in the market. Can you take some men and bring him to me?'

* * *

'Hullo again, Thomas,' said my father-in-law, as he entered Thomas' office, 'and Bathsheba and of course, little Lily-Anna,'

Lily-Anna grabbed hold of my hand and tried to hide behind my skirts, as the man who had caused all this shouting, smiled at her.

'I'll take Lily-Anna home, Thomas,' I said, kissing Thomas on the cheek as I led Lily-Anna to the door, passing Thomas' father on our way, and hissed, 'remember, stay away from my family,'

'Bathsheba,' he smiled, trying to take my hand but I knocked it away, 'whatever you think. I am not here to harm anyone, I am here to make amends,'

'Gregory, could you please take your sister outside for me,' I said, calmly, as Gregory took Lily-Anna's hand and the two of them left the room. As the door shut behind them, I turned to my father-in-law with fire in my eyes, 'I don't know what you know of me, but to tell you the truth, I really don't care. Think me a whore, as I'm under no doubt that's what your daughters have told you about me, but let me tell you what I think of you. You are a vile, little churl of man. You have no right to breath!'

'Evelyn was right, you a fiery ...'

'Shut up!'

'I assume then, that, that son of my mine has finally got round to telling you of his father's existence. Did he tell you how he drove me mad when he was a boy?'

My blood was boiling. It sounded like something my father would say. It was never his fault, that he hit my mother and me. It was my mother's fault for needing money for food. It was my fault, for being born and needing clothes and food to live.

'Let me tell you something,' I shouted, storming over to him and doing something, which I hadn't done to anyone in years-I punch him, as Thomas looked on in amazement, ' I know what men, like you, are like. You are disgusting and a coward. Only a coward hits his wife and children! Now stay away from my family!'

He looked at me, blood dripping from his face, which wore the same stunned look as Thomas'. I nodded my head and once again, kissed my husband goodbye, but as I made my way to the door, Thomas' father started to cackle with laughter.

'You talk a good game, Bathsheba,' he snorted, trying to mop up the blood dripping from his noise with a greasy handkerchief, 'and you are right, I am a coward but it's not me, who is a threat to your family,'

'You heard my wife,' shouted Thomas, knocking a empty ink pot to the floor, 'stay away from us!'

* * *

'Thomas,' I laughed, as he kissed the top of my neck, 'we can't,'

'Why not?' he whispered, his left hand caressing my fully clothed breast, 'the door's locked and I want to thank my beautiful wife for coming to my defence,'

'Not many men would enjoy having their wives fight for them,' I continued to laugh, as Thomas ran a hand up skirts as I pulled us against the wall, not caring if the secretaries in the next room heard us.

'But I'm not any man,' mumbled Thomas, kissing the base of my neck as I surrendered, wrapping my legs around him, but as we were about to give into passion, the door to the office flew open, as Kate, followed by Lily-Anna, Gregory and Katherine charged in and the two of us quickly parted.

'The door's lock, Lord Cromwell?' I said, out of the side of my mouth.

'We all make mistakes,' answered Thomas, with an innocent smile and a small shrug of his shoulders.

'Dada! Mummy!' cried Kate, dancing around the office, full of excitement, 'me and Katherine were at the fair and this man just collapsed in the middle of it, shivering violently and everyone ran away screaming!'

I took hold of Thomas' hand, and held it tight, as I looked at him, Gregory then Katherine, all of us trying to hide our dread from the girls-the Sweat was here!


	14. Chapter 14

(Thanks for all the reviews. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter)

_So it's finally here. The Sweat and Hell has finally descended on to this place, which has been an ocean of peace for us these last six years. All those years when I was alone and the time when it looked like my life could be ended by the stroke of an axe, seem to belong to a different world. I watch Bathsheba someday, playing with our children and I see the peace I feel, reflected on her beautiful face. We have survived the wrath of the King and his cronies, to find our peace in the world, but now God has the sent the one thing that could destroy everything. _

_No..no I must not think like this. I promised Bathsheba I would not think on it and worry the girls, though Kate seems more excited about a plague in our mist than frightened. Bathsheba wants us to carry on with our lives, as if nothing had change and for the best part, I think she is right. After all, the Sweat has only hit a small part of Dusseldorf , the chances of it knocking at our door must be small...but then I thought that the last time._

* * *

'_Dada,' say Kate, with a smile as she comes into my study, 'can I help you with your work?'_

'_Of course, sweetheart,' I reply, putting down my pen, 'but wouldn't you rather be with your mother and sisters?'_

_She looks so grown up as she walks with an air of confidence and determination, her head held high. Bathsheba always says that our daughter tries to copy in me, in the way she behaves and acts. I fail to see it, for I do not think I am the best of men for my daughter to be influenced by-I know I have done some terrible things. When I have told Bathsheba this, she always replies that the only reason I have done such wicked things, was to give my children a carefree future in a better world. I do not know how my wife always knows the right things to say and at the right moment, the same as I do not know what I will do if I am to lose her._

'_Maddie is reading with Edmund in the study and Mummy and Lily-Anna are cutting out fabric for dresses,' she sighs, throwing herself down in a chair and swings her legs up on to the desk, 'they are such girls,'_

'_I hate to disappoint you Kate,' I smile, 'but I'm afraid that you too are a girl,'_

'_I know, Dada!' she cries, swishing her legs off my desk, almost upsetting the ink and jumping to her feet, 'and I hate it! Why couldn't I have born a boy? You, Gregory and later Daniel have all the fun. I'm not even allowed to go to university! The world will never hear my voice or respect me because I am a woman,'_

_My nine old daughter looks so small standing with her hands on hips by my large, old desk, but her face wears deadly serious expression, that makes her seem so grown up._

'_Kate, you are still a girl,' I laugh, dreading the day when she will no longer be one and I will have to watch every pox scared youth who hangs around her, 'besides, there are plenty of well respected ladies of learning. The late Queen Anne Boleyn for instance or Margaret Roper,'_

'_But one lost her head and the other lost her dada,'_

_My Kate thinks I am perfect. She defends me against anyone, including her own mother when Bathsheba and I argue. I have done things in my past and continue to do things that if Bathsheba and I told Kate of my involvement with, I believe I would very quickly fall from grace in her eyes-thought Bathsheba thinks otherwise._

'_Kate,' I grin, deciding that spending time with my daughter is more important than any work the King wants me to complete-maybe he should try actually doing some work himself for a change, 'how about we take the horses out for some exercise?' _

* * *

_Kate, out of all my children, is the most skilled with a horse, even more so than Gregory. She is nine but she keeps her young mare under such strict control, that she can almost out ride me without falling off. It gives Bathsheba nightmares, watching our children ride, and Kate especially makes her sick with worry. I always reassure my wife that no harm will come to any of them, but I have to admit, when I see Kate jumping fences, I feel my heart miss a beat._

'_Beat you, Dada,' she laughs, as her horse beats mine to the small clearing by the lake at the bottom of our land, 'you're getting old, Dada. You're losing your touch,'_

'_Kate,' I smile, raising an eyebrow as I jump down from my horse and tie the reigns to a tree, 'what does your mother say about being cheeky?'_

'_Yes,' she laughs again, as I help her down from her mare, 'but you never tell me off, do you, Dada?'_

_She has me there. My Kate is the spitting image of me and knows how twist me around her little finger-she'd make a good politician one day. _

'_Dada,' she says, slowly as we sit down by the lake. She stares at the lapping water for a moment, her eyes dark with seriousness, 'who was the man who took Lily- Anna the other day?...Katherine says he's your father,'_

_Katherine Culpepper or Howard or whatever she is now calling herself, would have made a useless Queen. She has no idea about decorum and keeping her mouth shut, when its needs to be. But this is not all her doing, it is my fault for having never told my family the truth._

'_Yes, Kate,' I reply, getting to my feet and throwing a stone at the water, 'yes that man is your grandfather,'_

_She nods her little head, as she gets up to join me, her curls bouncing around her face as she takes in the information I have just given her._

'_He's not a very nice man, is he Dada? she asks, picking up a stone and skimming across the lake, before it sinks._

'_No, Kate, no he is not,'_

'_Was he like Mummy's father?'_

'_Yes, though not as brutal,' I say, remembering that whatever that bastard of a man put me through, it was nowhere near as bad as what Bathsheba's father subjected her to, 'he use to beat my mother and my sisters black and blue,'_

'_And you too, Dada?'_

'_And me too Kate, but I learnt to fight back and vowed I would never let him hurt another member of my family,'_

_Once again she nods her head and falls silent, deep in thought for a moment. For the first time, I can see Bathsheba in her, as she sits there thinking, her lose curls framing her head._

'_I love my family, even Maddie, despite the fact she's a moody mare, but...don't be angry with me Dada or Gregory,'_

'_Why would I be upset with you, sweetheart or Gregory?'_

'_Cause...cause I heard you and him talking about Anne and Grace the other day. I wanted to know who they were, so I asked him and...and he said they were my sisters...are they my sisters?'_

'_Yes,' I choke, feeling ashamed that I have never told my youngest children about their older sisters._

'_What were they like, Dada?' Kate asks with a small smile, as she takes hold of my hand._

_In all the years since that fateful week when they and their mother were taken from me, I have only rarely spoken to Gregory and Bathsheba about Elizabeth and our daughters. I thought it was best to keep my grief unspoken but I think Bathsheba is right, talking might help make me at lot less fearful of the future._

'_Well,' I reply eventually, clearing my throat as I do so, 'Grace was like you in many ways. She always wanted to be one of the boys and go horse ridding, play archery and fight. And she was clever, just like you as well. Anne was like Little One, always playing with her dolls and wanting to dance whilst wearing pretty dresses, but she was just as clever as her brother and sister. Anne could out smart them, whenever she needed to, so be warned Kate,' _

_Kate rests her head against me and I feel as though a weight has been lifted after all these years. Bathsheba was right, (she usually is), talking about them has eased the pain that is constantly in the back of my mind._

'_I wish I could have known them,' sighs Kate mournfully, sounding as though tears are about to pour from her eyes._

'_I wish you could have known them too, Kate,' I smile, as I place an arm round my growing daughter's shoulder, (I still see her as being the little girl, who use to jump excitedly into my arms every evening when I returned home from work)._

'_Oh, Dada, it's nasty, I know, but if Gregory's mother had not died, you wouldn't have met Mummy and had me, Maddie, Lily-Anna and Daniel,' _

_She has me there, my clever daughter. I have never thought about my life being that way. If God made me chose between Bathsheba and Elizabeth, I could not bring myself to chose between them. They both share equal measure in my heart and for very different reasons. I did not fall for Bathsheba because she reminded me of Elizabeth, nor would I have fallen for Elizabeth because she reminded me of Bathsheba. Life is strange in the way things turn out and ironically cruel, meaning that for me to regain those whom are lost would me, I would lose those I love just as much. But I must not think like that, after all I am a politician, not a philosopher. _

'_Come, Kate,' I continue to smile as I kiss her on the top of the head, 'you going to show your old Dada, how to skim a stone across the lake?'_

* * *

_We ride back to the house the long way round our grounds, going up close to all the boundaries of our land. I let Kate jump over the fences, holding my breath as I watch her. It's not just the fear of her falling, but having to face Bathsheba, if she discovers that I let Kate break the rules._

'_Well done, Kate,' I cheer, as she brings her horse next to mine, 'just let's not tell your mother,'_

'_Of course, Dada,'_

_I go to say something else, but before I can, the sound of girlish laughter stops me. I listen closely, it sounds just like Maddie._

'_Kate, I thought you said Maddie was in the house reading with Edmund,' I ask, getting down off my horse, starting to feel unnerved by the sound._

'_Yes, Dada!' she replies, looking equally as puzzled. My mood grows even worse as in between the cries of laughter, I hear a male voice._

'_Kate, wait here,'_

_I hand Kate the reigns to my horse and follow the sound of laughter. It takes me to a corner of the grounds, which is hidden slightly by a bush. I peer round the bush, as though I am back in the service of the Cardinal, hiding in corridors of power, trying to glimpse pieces of information; only this time it is not two courtiers plotting, which I find, but my daughter, Maddie lying on the grass, with that creature Culpepper by her side, his hand tight around her waist!_

'_Get your hands off my daughter!'_

_I want to kill him! I want to put my hands around his neck and ring it until it falls off! I don't, of course, though I punch him as hard as I can, hoping I break he jaw._

'_Leave him alone,' cries Maddie, as I pull her to her feet, 'he's my friend,'_

'_He's a disgusting bastard, that's what he is, Maddie! You broke your promise to your mother! You said you would stay away from him!' I grab hold of her wrist and try to pull her away, but as I do, I notice she has trouble staying on her feet and as I turn to look at her, I see her eyes are dazed and the spell of wine is heavy on my child's breath, 'your drunk!'_

'_I'm not a child,' she say, trying to hold her head up, but the wine goes to her head and she slumps to the ground, 'I'm not a child!'_

'_No you're not, are you my little Maddie,' laughs that disgusting Culpepper, rubbing his jaw as he gets to his feet, 'no child kisses the way that you do,'_

_If Maddie had not been overcome with the wine, that had clearly been forced down her, I would have killed him there and then. Why this man was not put to death when he raped that poor woman and killed her husband I will never understand-but I am more than willing to do the job myself! But Maddie is clearly in trouble and starts retching, the red wine, mixed with vomit pouring from her mouth and down her dress._

'_Come, Maddie, let's get you home,'_

_I go to put an arm round her and help my poor girl to her feet, wondering all the while, what I am going to say to Bathsheba when we return to the house, but as I do, Maddie screams and pushes me away, kicking and punching me as hard as she can._

'_No!' she screams, bits of sick around her mouth and her pale face wild with anger, 'I want to stay! You can't tell me what to do! You're not my father!' _


	15. Chapter 15

(Big thank you for the reviews. Hope everyone likes this chapter-I'm afraid Maddie is going to get worse, before she gets better)

'Ready, Lily-Anna?' I smiled at my youngest daughter, who still had some of the freshly cut pink fabric pinned to her but she loved the colour so much she was refusing to take it off.

'Yes,' she nodded frantically, her little wild album hair, coming lose the way mine always did, 'I am ready Mummy,'

'Well then,' I replied, trying to sound serious, as I took hold of my little girl's hands, 'one, two, three,'

Both laughing, Lily-Anna innocent giggles always sound so sweet to my ears, we galloped down the hallway, our skirts and hair swishing around us as we did so. When we finally reached the end of the corridor, I twirled Lily-Anna under my arm, before we once again galloped back to the other end of the house, where we collapsed in laughter.

'Your be the best dancer there, my little angel,' I smiled, bending over and kissing my daughter on the forehead, 'the Queen will be so proud of her little Goddaughter,'

'I hope so, Mummy,' she giggled, as she hugged my waist, before asking me seriously, 'Mummy, why don't Dada ever dance with you at parties?'

I smooth down the curls on her head and once again kiss her. She was not like Kate, Lily-Anna questions were always so sweet and full of innocence, yet so observant too.

'Because your Dada don't dance,'

'Why, Mummy?' Lily-Anna continued to ask, looking up at me with her wide green eyes, 'all other husbands and wives dance with each other. Why does Dada never ask you?'

I tried not to laugh at the thought the situation. I never expected Thomas to ask me to dance, in fact, it never bothered me if anyone every asked me to dance. I much preferred to sit with my husband and watch the goings on around us-and of course I liked to watch our girls, (not so much Maddie, as now she would sit next to us, trying to look grown up), shaking their little limbs, trying to copy the adults.

'Because Lily-Anne, a good dancer,' I replied seriously, as I remembered what a good dancer Anthony use to be, (not that he ever asked me-I just watch him and his tarts, while I collected up the dirty plates), 'doesn't always make a good husband,'

'Oh, I see!' she said, nodding her little head, 'but I think I will like a good husband, who is a good dancer,'

I laugh at her answer and gave her a big cuddle, but just then the front door was thrown open, followed by terrible shouting, which sounded around the house.

'Someone's in trouble,' Kate sang, as she thumped up the stairs, 'and for once it's not me!'

* * *

'Stay away from me!' I heard my eldest daughter scream at the top of her lungs, though despite her screams, I could tell something was not right with her voice, 'I hate you!'

'Kate,' I shouted, pulling Kate back, as she tried to go back downstairs, 'take Lily-Anna to see Katherine and Daniel in the nursery,'

'Yes Mummy,' nodded Kate, taking hold of her sister's hand and guiding her down the hall to the nursery, though it was clear by the looks on both the girls faces that they wanted to stay and see what was going on.

'I hate you! I hate you!' Maddie continued to scream, as I ran to the top of the stairs and found to my surprise her words were directed at Thomas, 'I hate you! You are not my father!'

Poor Thomas looked so dejected as he stood in the doorway, trying to help Maddie, who for some reason had trouble standing on her feet. He had never treated her any differently from his natural children, in fact he had called her our daughter, before he had even laid eyes on her. He had done everything in his power to bring her back to me ...to us, so to hear Maddie's words caused me to fly into such a rage, I never thought it was possible to hold against one of my children.

'Maddie! How dare you!'

'Maddie,' I shouted, running down the stairs to my husband and daughter, 'how dare you say such things? Apologise to your father this instant!'

Maddie just turned to me, her face bright red with anger, but it wasn't that which shocked me and caused me to stumble back- it was the sick that covered her pretty dress and face, with bits of food twisted into her blonde curls.

'He is not my father, mother!' she said, through gritted teeth, 'we both know I'm the product of your inability to keep your legs together!'

'Maddie! How could you?' I gasped, shocked at her words. I had never known her capable of such cruelty, I was not sure how to respond to her taunts. Then as I went towards her, I caught the whiff of wine on her breath, 'your drunk!'

I leant forward to pull her towards me, my anger almost boiling. How had she got in such a mess? I thought she was with Edmund reading, but clearly not! I wanted to kill whoever did this to my daughter, but it couldn't be Edmund. He knew how much I hate drunkenness after having to live my father for all those years-then again, so did Maddie.

'So what if I am,' she snarled, trying to knock away my arms as I grabbed hold of her wrist, 'I am an adult!'

'You are a silly little child!'

'Well, Thomas does not think so,'

'Thomas? Who the bloody Hell is Thomas?'

'Culpepper' answered Thomas, as he came to stand by my side, 'I found her with him on the edge of the gardens,'

'Culpepper!' I screamed, trying to suppress every ounce of anger in me, from slapping her across the face, 'you promised me you'd stay away! You disobeyed me!'

'Well, so what if I did,' Maddie continued, her beautiful face still bitter and twisted, 'if I do wrong, it's only cause I have learnt from the best, living in this house. I know the disgusting things you and he get up to when doors are locked. I can hear you, when you think no one can! It's sick! You have poor little Daniel in your room and yet you and him are...God it's distgusting!'

The only time I have ever raised a hand to any of my children, was when the they were still learning right from wrong and only then, I would simply tap them on the bottom. Now, though, it took all my control not to slap my daughter round the face, for her flirty words of hate.

'Maddie!' I shouted, clenching my fists tight together, 'we are husband and wife!'

'But you weren't always! Tell me, how old was my sister when you had your wedding night, mother?'

'Do not talk to your mother like that, Maddie?' replied Thomas, his voice still level, as he placed an arm round my waist and held me against him, 'I think you should apologize this instant,'

'And what will you do, if I do not, sir?' she snarled, the drink still causing her to be unsteady on her feet, 'have me sent to the Tower to be executed? Isn't that what you do to people, who don't do what you tell them to, sir?'

Standing close by me, I could feel Thomas go cold. I knew what lie in his conscious but we never shared anything with the children, even though everything Thomas had done was in the interests of their future.

'Maddie,' I replied, trying to keep my temper, 'I'm warning you,'

'That's what you did to Sir Thomas More, didn't you sir,' she continued to rage, 'you must have had a good laugh all those times you saw me reading his books. And Queen Anne and her followers, whose deaths, made you what you are today. Or how about your friends, who you sent to the fires to save your own skin? Not forgetting what you did to my poor father!'

My mouth fell open, I was to stunned by this outburst. I could kind of bring myself to understand her attack on me. Her body was going through so many changes and maybe she was finding it difficult to understand the adult world around her, but her shouts at Thomas were just nasty.

'Maddie!' I started, but I never finished, as at that moment, Kate, who had sneaked out of the nursery to hear what was going on, came charging down the stairs like a bulldog.

'You nasty mare!' she screamed, jumping the last remaining stairs and launched herself at Maddie, knocking her to the ground and started slapping her around the face, 'I'll teach you a lesson!'

'What's' the matter Kate!' screeched Maddie as Kate pulled at her hair and she slapped her back around the face, 'can't face hearing the truth about your beloved Dada?'

'HARPY!'

'COW!'

'That's enough!' I shouted, as me and Thomas separated the two of them, Thomas grabbing Kate and me Maddie, who was once again shock me off as I got her to her feet, 'Maddie go to your room!'

'I might have know you'd take her side,' Maddie wailed, starting to cry as she ran up the stairs, 'you only love the babies you have by him!'

Maddie's words hurt. I loved all my children equal, they were all special to me in their own way. Maddie my first child, Kate my first with Thomas, Lily-Anna, the miracle of such a terrible time and my little Daniel, my first boy. What was wrong with my oldest? We had always been so proud of her? Growing up, she was such an angel, never getting into any trouble-unlike Kate!

'Not interrupting anything, are we, Lord Cromwell,' came a voice from behind us. It was a voice, I knew only too well, though I had not to hear it for almost six years-it was Suffolk and as I turned round to face him, I saw he was not alone; he had Sir Francis Bryan with him and both looked as smug as ever!

'What do you two bastards want?' answered Thomas, his voice regaining its usual coolness, though I could sense he was still hurt by words of our oldest child, 'I had hoped the two of you would be rotting away in the Tower by now,'

'It's good to see you too, Cromwell,' smiled Bryan, showing his bright white teeth and looking me up and down with his leering mouth, 'you're looking well Bathsheba, it can't honestly be performing your wifely duties for your husband that keeps you looking young?'

'I believe,' said Kate, throwing her little head up in the air and sticking out her chin, 'that my Dada asked you a question!'

'Quite right, Mistress Katherine,' grinned Suffolk, patting her on the head, causing Kate to turn red, as her blood boiled but I pulled her away before she launch herself again, 'his majesty has asked us to look in on arrangements for the Queen's visit. He's concerned about the outbreak of the Sweat...not to mention the disturbing reports he has had from Culpepper?'

'You know as well as I do,' replied Thomas, his voice sounding as though he was once again back in Court, 'Culpepper is not to be trust,'

'Orders are orders, Lord Cromwell,' said Bryan, with a laugh, as he moved towards the stairs, 'now Bathsheba, if you would kindly show us to our chambers?'

'Your chambers?' I gasped, almost in disbelief, as these two men with their untrustworthy smiles where the last people I wanted sleeping under my roof, particularly at this moment, 'you are bloody well not staying here!'

'I think your find, Lady Cromwell that our King commands it,' said Suffolk, his smile growing as he handed me a sealed letter, 'he believes these problems will be best sorted, if we can all work together as closely as possible...well, not too close, unless of course, Bathsheba has other ideas,'

* * *

'Oh, Maddie,' I sighed, sitting down on the bed beside my sleeping daughter after I had cleaned her up, 'why did you say those things?'

She looked like an angel sent from Heaven as she slept soundly on her bed, the drink that had been forced down her, having overcome her. She had promised me, she would stay away from Culpepper. She had promised-how could she lie to me? But it was not that which hurt me the most, it was the way she had spoken to Thomas. How could she have been so cruel? Poor Thomas had always done his best for her-much more than her own worthless father, who had abandon me when I was carrying her, had ever done! Poor More had been a martyr, Anne and her co-accused were innocent victims in the games of court and Thomas' friends who died in the flames, had chosen their path to the fires, but Anthony! Anthony was just a vain, selfish pig, who had done everything he could for power and glory. He cared about no one but his worthless self-how Maddie could defend him and attack the man, who had loved her unconditionally, was beyond me. What was going on, underneath her beautiful curls?

'Bathsheba,' said Edmund softly as he came into the room, 'I heard what happened. I'm so sorry, I thought she was just going to walk in the gardens. I did not realise she was up to anything,'

'It's okay, Edmund,' I replied, running my fingers through Maddie's hair, 'I don't blame you. She had us all fooled,'

'I hear harsh words were said,' Edmund continued coming further into the chamber, 'that she was extremely cruel to you and Lord Cromwell,'

'Her words against me, I can bring myself to understand,' I replied, shaking my head from side to side, 'she is growing, the once innocent world around her is changing but as for her words against her father, I just can't begin to understand. They were so cruel and hurtful,'

As I spoke Edmund turned away from me and started staring into the fire, warming his hands against the heat.

'But,' I continued, 'I see you don't think they weren't,'

'Bathsheba,' he smiled, turning towards me, 'your love for Lord Cromwell should be applauded. He has the most loving and caring wife in you. And while I do confess to having grown to like and admire him these past weeks, you have to understand not everyone see's your husband the way you do. I will freely admit that before I came here, I was terrified of that man,'

'That man is my husband,' I said sternly, as I didn't want to wake Maddie, 'Edmund, I'll admit my mind has started to work against you in the last week or so, but I am willing to it down to the differences of our births and upbringings. Now I have enough to put up with, what with the King's court jesters staying with us and Maddie's mind being poison by that bastard, but if you ever say anything against my husband again, I will throw you out of this house myself, do you understand?'

'I am sorry Bathsheba, for any hurt I have caused,' answered Edmund, looking downcast as he made his way to the door, 'England has been through a lot these past ten years, perhaps I am still catching up with the changing times, but all I can say is, if I ever was to remarry, I hope it would be to someone, as loving and as passionate as you,'

And with that he left, whistling through his teeth as he disappeared down the corridor.

* * *

I left Maddie, with a chamber pot by her bed, just in case she need to be ill again and after checking on both Kate and Lily-Anna, I decided to retire to bed myself. I found Thomas already in our chamber, sat on the floor with Daniel, playing with some wooden animals. Standing in the door way, I watched the two of them with a smile on my lips. Daniel was growing so fast and despite only being seven months, he was already the spitting image of Thomas with his black curls and round eyes, that darken when he was upset. Poor Thomas had hardly said a word since Maddie's outburst, even Suffolk's and Bryan's little comments over supper failed to stir a reaction from him.

'You know, Thomas,' I said, coming into the room and joining them on the floor, pulling Daniel on to my lap and breathing in his clean baby spell, 'you are the very best of fathers,'

'If only our eldest felt the same,' he replied, staring hard at a toy horse, which he turned round in his fingers, before handing it to Daniel, 'isn't that right, Daniel. If only your sister felt the same way,'

'She young, Thomas, she's confused. She wants to prove she's an adult in a difficult world. I'm not defending her, Lord knows it took all my strength not to slap her, but she'll regret it in the morning, just you wait and see,' I smiled reassuringly, trying to convince myself that Maddie would soon come to regret her words, 'come, help me put Daniel to bed,'

Daniel almost jumped from my arms to Thomas', who managed to smiled as he held his baby boy in his arms. Together the two of us put Daniel down in his cot and watched him slowly, drift off to sleep, his little limps trying to fight it, before he surrendered.

'We'll have to get him a bed soon,' I said, leaning against Thomas, who put an arm around my waist, 'he's growing so quickly. Soon he'll be giving us grandchildren,'

'I hope he has an easy life,' Thomas whispered, as felt him kiss me on the head, before he leaned forward and kissed his sleeping son, 'free of having to dance to tune of a King,'

'Thomas,' I sighed taking hold of his hand and guiding him back towards our bed, 'don't do this to yourself. Maddie was drunk, she didn't know what she was saying,'

'In my experience,' muttered Thomas, starting to undress, 'that is when people are more likely to speak their true feelings,'

* * *

'And in my experience,' I continued, climbing beneath the blankets, resting my head on Thomas' chest and snuggling against him, 'Maddie knows exactly what kind of man Anthony was and she knows that you are a good man, who is her true father. She has just fallen under a bad spell and once it's broken, things will be back to normal, just you wait and see,'

Thomas leaned over to the side table and blew out the last of the candles, putting the room into darkness, except for a low fire burning in the fireplace. I felt Thomas fold his arms around me and kiss me, as I hoped that I had made him see sense.

'I love you, my beautiful Bathsheba,'

'I love you too,'


	16. Chapter 16

(Thanks for all the great reviews.)

'Are you certain?' smiled Thomas, slowly pulling our bed sheet off my naked body and placing a hand on my stomach.

'As certain as I can be,' I answered, placing my arms around my husband's neck and pulling him to me. It was late evening and most of the house was retiring to bed, thought me and Thomas had long since retired to our, Katherine having offered to look after Daniel tonight. Our house was so full of people these days, that it was hard to get a moment alone with my husband, so the after talking with the physician that morning, I knew the first thing I needed to do once Thomas was home, was make sure I had him all to himself.

'But we have only just...' he started, still smiling as he pulled away and stared at me in amazement. I laughed as I looked into his dark round eyes and pulled him back to me, our lips almost touching.

'Can I help it, if my husband can't keep his hands off of me,' I teased, kissing him, a tingle running up and down my spine, as I felt my husband's body on top of mine.

'Sleeping next to a wife like you, Bathsheba, is enough to drive even the strongest man, mad with desire,' whispered Thomas, brushing my hair to the side and kissing me on the neck, causing groans to escape from my lips- Thomas knew all my weak spots, I was always his, once I felt his lips there.

'Quiet in there!' shouted Bryan, banging hard on our chamber door, 'some of us are trying to sleep!'

'Ignore them!' I said, as Thomas pulled away with scowl on his face, but I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist, bringing his body back to mine, 'they're are just jealous, that your bed not going to be cold tonight,'

Thomas didn't take much convincing and soon was kissing me deeply, as our bodies made sure that no one, least of all us, would be getting much sleep tonight.

* * *

'Bathsheba and I have announcement to make,' said Thomas, putting an arm around my waist and pulling me to his side, his hand running gently up and down my stomach, as he turned to whisper to me, 'are you feeling well enough?'

'It was just a touch of morning sickness, Lord Cromwell,' I replied, quietly resting my head on his shoulder. Despite an night of love making, the moment I opened my eyes this morning, I found myself reaching for the chamber pot, as my mouth filled with bile.

'Father, Bathsheba,' interrupted Gregory, his voice sounding tired, having being forced by me, to drag his family and himself over to ours for breakfast. I felt a bit guilty about him and Elizabeth having to make three young children wait for food but I want to tell the whole family my news at the same time, 'while we are all grateful for the invitation, why are we here?'

As he spoke, little Henry reached forward to grab a slice of bread, only for his mother to tap him on the hand and Henry's face went red, as he sat back in his chair in disgrace. Kate and Lily-Anna were looking hungry at the food as well, along with Katherine, who was bouncing Daniel up and down on her knee. I decided it was time, to let everyone know my secret.

'Well...' I started, with a smile on my face as I looked down at every member of my family, (and Katherine, but I didn't mind her being there), sat down around my table. I had a husband by my side, my three beautiful daughters, (even if one, seemed to now have a permanent scowl on her face), a handsome baby boy, who was growing up fast, a stepson, who didn't hate his stepmother, a step daughter-in-law, who was more like a sister and their three sweet children. My mother would be so proud of me. I could feel her watching over us as I stood at the foot of the table, especially as I had another reason for my happiness.

'Bathsheba,' Thomas, interrupted, whispering in my ear, 'Edmund is not here,'

I looked at the sea of faces and found that Thomas was right, Edmund was not here. Nor thankfully were our other two houseguests, who I guest were either still in bed or had left for court early.

'It's doesn't matter,' I replied, as I had only known Edmund for two months, 'I will tell him later...Oh Daniel, don't start crying,'

I went over to Katherine, who looked slightly stressed at Daniel's tears, as she had never seen him cry before and picked him up, patting him on the back as I did so.

'Come now, Daniel. You were such a good boy for Katherine last night, don't go and spoil it now,'

'Bathsheba,' called Thomas in a panic, rush over to my side and taking Daniel off me, kissing his son on the head as he did so, 'I do not think you should carry our son, not in your...'

'You're expecting!' gasped Elizabeth, with a wide smiled as she jumped to her feet, still holding baby Catherine to her as she pointed at me stomach and I nodded.

'So much for being a master of secrets, Lord Cromwell,' I laughed, as Thomas put his free arm round my waist.

'Mummy!' cheered Kate and Lily-Anna, jumping off their chairs and rushing over to me, throwing the growing arms around my waist and giving me a large cuddle.

'Be gently with your mother, girls,' said Thomas, still holding Daniel in his arms, who was trying to mimic his father's serious expression.

'Like you were last night, Thomas' I whispered, as I turned my head towards my husband and kissed him on the lips.

'If you will excuse me,' came the emotionless voice of Maddie, over all the happy laughter. With a face just as blank, she got up from her chair and walked out of the room, making a point of slamming the door behind her.

'Maddie! Get back here!' I called, suddenly feeling angry. It had been two weeks since the incident with Culpepper and despite my earlier thoughts, her behave had not improve. She had not said sorry to her father for her cruel words, just ignored him. Me, she would only give yes or no answers to, as with Gregory. She was constantly snapping at Kate, who made it worse by snapping back. And with Katherine, she would just leave the room, whenever she entered. The only people she would speak to were Frau Schwartz, Lily-Anna, but that depend on her mood and Edmund, who would walk with her in the gardens, as she was banned from going outside alone.

'Just leave her be,' said Thomas carefully, still hurt by Maddie's accusations. I was so sure she would apologize the next morning, but two weeks later, the word sorry had not crossed her lips and I was worried, that if this continued, I would have no idea what to do.

'I'm a little confused,' said little Henry, as I bent down and let him and Frances kiss me on the cheek, 'cause Daniel is my uncle and your baby will also be my uncle or auntie, but I will always be older than them,'

'Such a clever boy,' I smiled, as everyone else laughed at his question, much to his annoyance.

'Bathsheba,' whispered Elizabeth, with a sad smile on her lips, which surprised me, 'are you sure you are well enough to carry this child,'

'I'll be fine,' I reassured her, trying to laugh off her concerns, 'well, I don't have a choice now, do I,'

Elizabeth pulled away, her smile suddenly seeming brighter. Maybe hearing how confident I was about my pregnancy, put all her worries at easy. But the truth was now, inside I was starting to panic, my mind flashing back to my time with Daniel, remembering how my blooded body had almost surrendered to death. I looked out at all the smiling faces now, panic tightening around my heart, as I saw my proud husband talking with his son, while he held his other son in his arms. I could really I put him through the pain of burying another wife, if the worse was to happen? I couldn't break his heart, not when our children would need their father the most.

'I should be going,' said Thomas, kissing me on the cheek and handing me Daniel, 'Bathsheba are you feeling well, you've gone pale,'

'Just a touch of morning sickness,' I smiled, not wanting to worry him, kissing him back on the lips, 'promise me you'll hurry home tonight?'

I watched with a surprisingly heavy heart as my husband left for Court. Could he survive, if I was to go? The girls, along with Henry and Frances ran off to play, Elizabeth and baby Catherine following, as did Gregory.

'Katherine,' I said, handing Daniel over to her, causing her to smile her young smile again, 'can you watch Daniel for me? Gregory can we have a quick word?'

* * *

'Is anything troubling you, Bathsheba?' asked Gregory, smiling as he sat down on the bench beside me, in the garden. My stepson was such a kind man, it was hard not to love him-though being only a few years younger than me, I drew the line at him calling me mother.

'Gregory,' I smiled, taking hold of his hand, 'I need you to promise me something,'

'Of course, Bathsheba. Anything,'

'I want...I want,' I started, never wanting this conversation to take place but I knew it had to be done, just in case, 'I want you to promise that if anything should happen to me, you'll look after your father for me,'

'Bathsheba!'

I didn't want to have to ask this of him, but I had suffered such a terrible labour with Daniel and had been so sick afterwards, that for the first two weeks of Daniel's life, I was too weak to hold him in my arms. Thomas had hardly left my side. He had made himself sick with worry as he sent every hour sat by my bed. I was still young and health but I feared another difficult labour would be the end of me.

'Gregory, please,' I pleaded, squeezing his hand, 'I not saying that anything bad is going to happen, but I can't face another labour like Daniel's and if the worst should befall us, I want to know, your father is not suffering. The girls and Daniel will need him, they are all so young and they're going to need their father to be strong. I'm not saying I am worthy of such grief...'

'You know as well as I do, Bathsheba,' replied Gregory, looking me straight in the eyes, his face very sad and reflective, 'the pain losing you will cause father,'

'Then, please, promise if the worse should happen, that you will take care of him. I hate to ask this of you Gregory,'

Gregory was silent for a moment, he's mind working. I hated asking this of him. The thought of my childbed might meaning death, had not occurred to me when I had patted my belly, as I had started to get that strange sensation which all expecting women get, when they realise something is different with their bodies. Nor had it crossed my mind when the physician had confirmed my suspicions or when I had told my husband the news. I sure nothing bad was going to happen, but just in case, I wanted to know there was someone ready for it.

'Of course, Bathsheba,' he finally replied with a sad smile, squeezing my hand, 'but I think we should not mention this to father. Though I'm sure nothing bad will happen,'

'Of course not,' I smiled, suddenly feeling better, as I leant forward and hugged my stepson.

'Moving on the son now are we, Bathsheba?' laughed Bryan, as he and Suffolk appeared in the garden.

'Morning,' I muttered, getting to my feet, having to once again suppress any urges I had to slap the both of them. I couldn't wait till the Queen's visit was over, then these two clowns with the smug smiles, would once again be out of our lives and I could have the baby in peace.

'So is he the father of the next Cromwell brat,' joined in Suffolk, 'or are you still managing to get Lord Cromwell to do his duty,'

'From what I heard last night, Lord Cromwell can more than perform his duty, isn't that right, Bathsheba-or were your moans, just an act?'

'Tell me,' I said, calmly walking up to the two of them, 'have you two sworn off female company, because every time I see one of you, the other is always standing very close by,'

* * *

'Bathsheba!' cried Edmund, running down the corridor towards me, a smile of his face, 'I've just heard the news. Congratulations,'

'Thank you, cousin,' I replied, kissing him on the cheek. I decided it was not worth falling out with Edmund, as he was currently the only person capable of keeping the peace with Maddie, 'we missed you this morning,'

It was now just after lunch and I had finally got rid of the Court Jesters, who decided it was time they went to court and finally do some work. All this time, no one had seen Edmund or had word about where he was, but sometimes he would just go off for long walks by himself, to think about his wife and children.

'I had some business in town,' he said, taking my arm, as the two of us walked towards the nursery, 'your be glad to hear, Bathsheba, that I've decided to return to England,'

'That's a pity,' I sighed, thought deep down part of me was slightly relieved , as I was longing for my house to be back to normal for the when the baby arrived, 'we will miss you, especially the girls,'

'Any news on their tutor?' he asked as he opened the door to the nursery for me and I smiled in thanks.

'Roger Ascham has agreed to tutor them but will not be able to join us till November at the earliest. So I think, I will have to employ someone local and prayer Kate doesn't drive them away,'

* * *

'Help! Help,' cried Lily-Anna and Frances, huddling together in the middle of the nursery floor, 'someone please save us from the evil Lord Taunton!'

The evil Lord Taunton, I guessed, was Daniel, who was sat in front of them, sucking his thumb and looking slightly bemused by the whole affair.

'We will save you,' cried Kate and Henry, suddenly jumping out from behind the toy box, brandishing their little wooden swords and wearing the capes, I had made them for their games. I watch them with a smile, loving the innocence in their voices but it was then I noticed something was not right with Kate.

'Kate,' I called and she came over to me, still holding her sword. I was right. Under her cape, she was not only wearing a winter dress, (despite the late summer heat), she also had a shawl pinned round her shoulders, 'are you feeling alright?'

'Mummy...' she started, in her usually strong voice, but she suddenly went deathly pale, her voice sounding weak and her eyes becoming sunken, '...Mummy!'

I went to put my arms round my daughter and hold her to me, but before I could get to her, my little girl fell to the floor, her little body shaking violently.

* * *

'Mummy!' cried Lily-Anna, tears pouring down her cheeks as I bundled her into the coach with Maddie, Daniel, Katherine, Elizabeth and her children. Everyone was crying, even little Daniel, who had no idea his sister was now fighting the Sweat.

'Kate will be fine,' I said, trying to smile and reassure my youngest daughter, 'she's just feeling a little bit poorly, that's all,'

'Elizabeth,' whispered Gregory, going up to the coach and leaning in, to speak with his wife, 'you understand that I have to stay,'

'I know,' she replied, kissing her husband on the cheek, 'and I understand,'

I watched as the coach pulled away and felt Gregory take hold of my arm. I prayed my words were to Lily-Anna were right, that today wouldn't be the last time, I had all my family together.

'Thomas!' I cried, starting to shake, 'how am I going to tell Thomas?'

'I will go,' said Gregory, his voice sounding so weak, 'Lord knows, I've had plenty of practice,'

I felt my heart break as Gregory spoke. It was too painful to imagine, having to bury a wife and two daughters. I didn't want to think about the fact that our little girl could be joining them.

'I will go,' called Edmund, joining us, 'you should stay here with Bathsheba,'

* * *

Four hours passed and there was no sign of Thomas. It was only an hour's ride to court, an hour's ride back, so where was he and Edmund? Our little girl was fading fasting. Her body had erupted into a great heat, sweat pouring from her skin and causing the bed clothes to stick to her tiny body. She was so ill and we were completely helpless- I need Thomas and Kate need Thomas. As delirium took control of her body, she called repeated for her Dada, but all I could say was, that he was on his way.

Something was wrong. Thomas would never abandon his sick child. What had happened to my husband?

'I'm afraid, Lady Cromwell,' said the physician in a low voice, as he took me and Gregory to the side of the chamber, 'there is nothing more I can do. All rests of whether the little girl can make it through the night, but I think you should prepare yourselves for the worse,'

'Oh dear God,' whispered Gregory, trying to control his emotions, as he faced once again having to bury a sister.

'Dada! Dada! My Dada!' called Kate, tossing and turning frantically from side to side, her black curls sticking to her pale face, 'Dada!'

'Dada, on his way,' I said as calmly as I could, rushing over to my beautiful daughter's side. How could I lose her? My little Kate. But I had to be strong. I couldn't break. I need to be strong for Kate, my children and Thomas-where was he? Just then I heard the noise of horse hooves on the path outside, galloping towards the house, 'Dada's here, Kate!'

* * *

'Oh Thomas...' I cried, running out of the house to meet him. I felt tears in my eyes as a ran but knew I need to suppress them, as I didn't know what condition Thomas would be in. I had to be strong for him, '...Edmund?,'

There was only one horse and it was being ridden by Edmund. I looked again, straining my eyes to see, but there was no Thomas-something was not right.

'Edmund, where's Thomas?' I shouted, running up to him, as he jumped off his horse, shaking his head from side to side, 'where's Thomas?'

'I'm afraid, Bathsheba, that Lord Cromwell is not coming,'

(Now who trusts Edmund?)


	17. Chapter 17

(Thank you so much for the great reviews. Sorry I have taken so long with the update. Hope you all enjoy)

'Thank you, Edmund,' I said, my voice completely emotionless as I didn't want my cousin knowing feelings, which were now running through my body, 'I know you did you best,'

'I am truly sorry, Bathsheba,' he replied, reaching out and taking hold of my hand, with a look of pity on his wretched face, 'if I could make this all better for you, you know I would...but I'm afraid your husband isn't the man you thought he was,'

I nodded my head, looking Edmund up and down. He had certainly been riding, as he clothes bore the signs and his eyes seemed so sad, that they almost moved me-but the tiny smile, trying to appear on his lips told a different story.

'Edmund,' I sighed, though still managing to control my emotions, 'I have sent the servants to a nearby inn, would you do me favour and make sure that they are all alright and are being take care of,'

'Of course, Bathsheba,'

'Thank you, Edmund,' I nodded, before turning my back to him and climbing the stairs to the house, 'oh and Edmund, I thinks its best that you stay away from the house. I wouldn't want your death of my conscious,'

* * *

I ran up the stairs to Kate's chamber as fast as I could. How could I have been so foolish? I should have listen to Thomas from the start! But now was not the time for such feelings, my little girl could be dying, she needed me –and she needed her dada.

'Gregory,' I called, trying to catch my breath. Poor Gregory was sat by his sister's bed, holding on to her frail little hand, as he stroked her hair with the other-he looked so lost but I needed him to be strong, now more than ever, 'Gregory,'

I called him over to the door way, making sure our voices couldn't not be overheard by Kate, who was still crying for her beloved Dada to make her better.

'Bathsheba, where's father?' he asked, confusion taking away the sadness on his face.

'Gregory, don't ask questions,' I said, as firmly as I could, needing Gregory to do exactly what I was about to ask of him, without any further delay, 'your father hasn't been told. I'm afraid, I need you to ride to court and bring him home,'

Gregory looked at me, his face suddenly going as emotionless as my voice. He too, had know something was not right with Thomas' absence but he, like me, had trusted Edmund. With a nod of the head and kiss on my cheek, for reassurance, Gregory hurriedly left his sister's chamber, to bring the news to his father that he may once again have to face losing a child.

'Dada! My Dada,' called Kate, tossing and turning frantically on her pillow. I ran over to her, taking hold of her hand and gently wiping away the strands of black hair, which had become stuck to her hot face, 'Dada make me better!,'

'Dada's on his way, Kate,' I smiled, trying not to let my tears fall from my eyes, 'Dada's on his way,'

* * *

As long as I live, I will not know how Thomas and Gregory manage to do it. It was an hour to court and then an hour back but within just over an hour, I heard horses hooves once again coming towards the house –and this time, it was the sound of two horses.

'Dada,' Kate croaked, her voice now sounding so weak as she tried to fight sleep, 'Dada,'

'Dada's here Kate,' I whispered gently, trying not to show how I scared I was, 'Dada's here now,'

I heard the sound of feet, heavy on the floorboards as they rushed through the house, heading towards Kate's chamber. The door flew open, crashing against the wall causing almost everything to shake. I looked up and saw my husband stood in the doorway, his body trembling. Poor Thomas looked so ill, his skin whiter than chalk, his eyes black, surround large grey circles.

'Dada,' gasped Kate, trying to reach out with her hands but she was too weak and collapsed back onto the bed, 'Dada,'

'I'm here, sweetheart,' cried Thomas, rushing over to the bed and taking hold of Kate's other hand, holding it tight as he kissed it, 'I'm here,'

I looked away from my daughter to my husband, who seemed to be a different man from the one I kissed goodbye to that morning. His eyes, usually his strongest feature, were now weak and full of tears, his hands shaking as he held on to his daughter. I bite my lip, trying not to let my tears show. Thomas was always the strong one, the one who held us all together, but now it would have to be me.

'She's been such a good girl,' I said, trying to sound positive, choking back tears as I stroked Kate's hair, 'haven't you Kate, not caused any trouble for Dr...'

But as I spoke Kate surrendered to sleep-usually in the case of the Sweat, this was a sign that the end was drawing near. I felt the blood drain from me, I couldn't bear to think of this being my last moment with my little girl. The little girl I had carried inside me for almost nine months, who had driven me mad with her tears and kept me smiling on the days when we were without Thomas.

'Kate! Kate!' shouted Thomas, letting go of her hand and grabbing hold of her shoulders, trying to shake, her limb body awake, 'Katherine! This is your father and I order you to wake up!'

'Thomas,' I cried, rushing to over to the other side of the bed, placing my arms around his shoulders, 'Thomas, please don't,'

'Kate!' he continued to shout, thought he let go of his beloved daughter and she fell back on the wet pillow, 'Kate,'

People all over Europe, hated my husband. They said he was evil. They would call him the devil, whose sole aim in this world was to bring us all to the gates of Hell, but if they saw my husband at that moment, collapsing in my arms as he realised our little girl was losing her fight for life, they would soon change their minds.

'Thomas,' I pleaded, starting to feel tears running down my cheeks, 'I need you...'

'Tell God, he cannot have her,' he cried, sobbing into me, as the two of us collapsed into a heap on the floor. Thomas clinging so tightly to me, that I found it hard to breath but at that moment, I just wanted to comfort my husband, 'he cannot have her,'

Poor Gregory looked on, tears in his eyes also. For the first years of Kate's life it had just been the three of us, (four with Alys, who I wished with all my heart was there with us now), me, her mummy, her Dada, who she use to sense when he was about to come home to us and her big brother, who would take her into the city and by her sweetmeats, (even thought I wasn't suppose to know). And now, it looked like it would be the three of us with her as she left us. I always thought I would be long time buried, beside my husband, when God called my children to him, but know just when he had blessed me and Thomas again, he would take another one away.

'Thomas shh,' I whispered, my voice cracking as I leant forward and kissed my husband on the top of his head, as his body continued to tremble in my arms, 'it's out of our hands, we just have to prayer that God takes pity on us,'

'Bathsheba,' came a cold voice, breaking though this painful moment and I looked up to see Bryan, Suffolk and another man, dressed in black, stood in the doorway, their faces all looking solemn.

'If you come to cause trouble,' I responded, feeling angry that they had come in at this private moment, 'then I will use every trick I know to get the two of you, separated from your heads,'

'Bathsheba,' said Suffolk, his voice sounding surprisingly weak, 'we heard your little girl was sick. We want to help,'

'We have done some asking around the city,' interrupted Bryan, his voice too sounded compassionate, 'and we found Doctor Auttenburg, apparently all his patrons have the survived the Sweat,'

'Almost all,' corrected Doctor Auttenburg, in a thick German accent, 'almost, gentlemen, madam,'

'Almost is not good enough,' croaked Thomas, staring at the man, that Bryan and Suffolk had brought with them to help, 'how can I trust any of you? You have spent the last ten years trying to destroy my family,'

'Because,' said Bryan, coming a little further into the room, his voice still surprisingly soft, 'as much as I hate you, Lord Cromwell, I do not wish to see the little girl dead,'

I looked at the both of them. They did seem genuine, despite everything that they had put our family through and at that moment in time, I would have done anything to get my little girl well again; even it meant trusting the two villains, who had once tried to kill my husband.

'You two would do anything to see me suffer,' snapped Thomas, getting to his feet, 'you say you do not want to my daughter dead, yet you once helped kill what would have been her brother or sister,'

'Thomas!' I cried out as I grabbed hold of his hand, my cheeks wets with tears, though I was trying my best to stop them rolling from my eyes, 'I'm not defending them, but they weren't to know I was pregnant. It was me they wanted to hurt, not our child,'

Thomas' stared at me, in disbelief. He went to speak, his pale lips trembling but before he could utter a word, Bryan grabbed him round the throat and pinned him up against the wall.

'Now you listen to me Cromwell!' he spat, as I rushed over with Gregory, to try and separated them, 'I hate you. I have always hated you. If the King had signed your death warrant, watching them hack you too bites, would have been one of the most enjoyable moments of my life. Your child is sick. Your beautiful wife, who you have never deserved and is carry your child, is clearly suffering and in desperate need of her husband to comfort her-yet all you can think about, is your own worthless arse!'

Bryan let go of Thomas and stormed over to the other side of the chamber, kicking a chair as he did so. Was I really so desperate? I was the one who had to be strong, I had no right to grieve without looking after Thomas first.

'Bathsheba forgive me,' whispered Thomas, place a hand on the side of my face, while he slipped the other round my waist, pulling me to him and as I rested my head against my husband's chest, I felt safe, 'very well, Doctor Auttenburg, you have my blessing,'

'And you are right, Lord Cromwell, almost is not good enough,' said the doctor, going over to Kate, 'but your daughter is young and healthy, that is in her favour. How long as she been asleep?'

'Only just,' I replied feebly, 'only just,'

'Good! That is also in our favour, as it will make it easier for us to wake her,'

* * *

Me and Thomas sat waiting in the hallway for news- both of us knowing, that this night was going to be one of the longest nights of our lives. Seeing Doctor Auttenburg, despite first being uncertain, had somehow managed to calm Thomas down, though he still had tears in his eyes and clung to me for comfort-as I did to him.

'Our Father, which art in heaven,' started Thomas with me and Gregory, who was sat opposite us, joined in;

'hallowed be thy name;

thy kingdom come;

thy will be done,

in earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive them that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil.

Amen'

As the three of us said 'Amen,' I kissed my husband on the top of his head, remembering how hearing the Lord's words in English for the first time on a night, now so long ago, had brought me great comfort and later the two of us together. Maybe tonight they would do the same...but then again, when I had suffered my miscarriage, I had said the Lord words also but then our baby had died. So with that in my mind, would God hear us tonight?

After awhile, I heard the sound of snoring and I notice that Thomas had fallen asleep on my shoulder. He looked so helpless, that it broke my heart to see him in such away. I knew, then that I must beg Heaven not to take our little girl. Kissing Thomas once again, I slowly got to my feet.

'Bathsheba?' said Gregory, wearily, trying to get to his feet, only tiredness make it difficult, 'would you like me to come with you?'

'Thank you, but no, Gregory,' I answered with a small smile, 'I just need a few moments by myself,'

* * *

I went to mine and Thomas' bed chamber and kneeled before the window, looking out into the starry sky. The stars all look so beautiful, shining down on the Earth, as if Heaven was looking down upon us, watching our every move. As I put my hands together, I hoped my mother was one of them, as I did something I hadn't done in many years-I prayed to the Virgin Mary.

'Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,  
our life, our sweetness and our hope.  
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;  
to thee do we send up our sighs,  
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Turn then, most gracious advocate,  
thine eyes of mercy toward us;  
and after this our exile,  
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary

I have no right to ask this of you. You gave up your only son, so that the rest of us may have a chance of paradise. I can't imagine what went through your mind as you watched him, slowly die on the cross, but I ask you, please speak up for Kate. It is too soon for us to lose her. It will kill my husband, if we have to bury her and I am not strong enough to hold us together. God has blessed me and my family many times over the years, but my husband has given up so much as well, please allow him and me to keep our little Kate. Amen'

I started to cry then, real tears of pain, for the first time since Kate had collapsed that afternoon. I couldn't lose her, not my Kate. After they had taken Maddie away from me, being blessed with Kate had given my days meaning again. She comforted me on the nights when Thomas was away, her cuddles had kept me going after my miscarriage and she had made me finally resume my fight for Maddie. My heart was breaking, I could feel it smash in two, I needed my little girl.

'Bathsheba,' I heard Thomas whisper and I suddenly felt his arms around me, holding me tightly to him, as I sobbed into his chest.

'I'm sorry,' I cried, holding him as tight as I could, 'I have no right to cry,'

'Bathsheba, you have every right to,' he smoothed, kissing me gently on the top of the head, as he brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, 'you are her mother, your pain is just as great as mine,'

'No,' I croaked, continuing to cling to him as if I faced losing him too, 'I need to be strong, in case we...we...'

I couldn't say anymore. I couldn't face having to speak those words. I just continued to cry into my husband's chest, wanting the pain to go away. Wanting Kate to be better, so we could all go on with our lives in perfect peace.

'We both need to look after each other,' replied Thomas, placing a hand on my stomach as he continued to hold me. His arms over the years, had always brought me such comfort and now, as we faced one of our most darkest days, they once again made me feel safe, 'I'm not going to let us fall,'

* * *

'Ow Cromwell!' shouted Bryan, storming into our chamber. Me and Thomas must have fallen asleep on the spot on the floor where we had fallen in a tear-filled heap, as I could suddenly hear the sound of the cock crowing and see the reds of the early morning sun appear through the windows, 'move your worthless arse! Morning Bathsheba,'

Thomas helped me to my feet, as my head was spinning and my stomach was churning with morning sickness, but what plagued me most, was the thought of Kate. We had left her alone all night! What if...but something was not right. Bryan, even with his heart which turned black most days, would not have greeted Thomas in such a manor, if the worse had happened whilst we'd been asleep.

* * *

Me and Thomas raced down the corridor to Kate's chamber, Thomas holding tightly to my hand, as we ran. Bryan had not said anything, but Thomas had the same feeling as me-something was very much right in our house once again.

'You gave us all such a fright,' we heard Gregory say, his voice sounding tired and weak, but it was missing any hint of sadness and we soon knew why; for just before we reached the door, a familiar voice chirped-

'Well I cannot help it, if I'm sick!'

It was Kate! We burst into our daughter's chamber and found her sat up in bed, holding court with her brother and Suffolk, as Doctor Auttenberg took her temperature. She still looked pale, with dark rims under eyes, but she was our Kate, alive and speaking with her usual air of authority.

'There you two are!' she cried, as me and Thomas ran over to her and threw our arms around her, smothering her with kisses, 'I'm not happy with you Dada. You shouted at me and you called me Katherine!'

'Dada's sorry, sweetheart,' laughed Thomas, as we continued to drown her in hugs and kisses, 'dada's sorry,'


	18. Chapter 18

(So sorry I've taken so long to update. Big thank you to everyone who is reading this story and a big thank you to MrsPhantomSylvia for her advice. Hope you all enjoy this chapter)

'Kate!' I shouted, as I walked into her chamber and found her sat up in bed, playing cards with Bryan and Suffolk, who were perched on the children's small stools either side of her. On the bed lay three piles of coins-the biggest one placed in front of Kate, 'how many times have I told you about gambling?'

'But...' she tried to protest, making her round eyes, large and innocent looking. It had been almost a week since she had caught the Sweat and we all had feared the worst but now, while her body was still weak, her spirit was back to its usual self-which meant trouble.

'Don't try and play the innocent with me, Katherine Cromwell,' I continued, as I put the clean lining into the chest, 'and what are you two thinking of? Teaching a nine old girl to play cards!'

I look at the two of them, trying to control my temper, for the sake of the baby, but my blood was boiling. Many times I had told Thomas about playing cards, as I knew only too well how they could ruin a man-thankfully for us, Thomas usually won, but I did not want our children, in particular, our daughters, picking up such habits.

'We didn't, Bathsheba,' replied Suffolk, with a little laugh, 'I think you need to have a word with your husband,'

'What!'

'That I was trying to tell you, Mummy,' answered Kate, putting her hands on her hips but making sure her cards were covered, 'it was Dada who gave me the cards and the coins. He taught me to play, when you were helping Lizzie look after baby Catherine,'

I stood there, stunned, but not surprised as I knew Thomas always let the children get away with murder, especially his Kate. But then he knew my feelings regarding gambling and I was not about to let what I was feeling go unsaid.

'Thomas!' I shouted at the top of my voice, storming out of the chamber, 'Thomas!'

* * *

'Thomas!'

I had searched the house from top to bottom, trying to find my husband, but no luck, as probably hearing my shouts, he had gone into hiding- for he was now, nowhere to be the seen. One of the servants, who had returned to us after hearing Kate was better, told me that she had seen Thomas heading towards the stables-so I made my way there.

'Thomas!' I shouted at the top of my lungs, determined not to let this drop, 'Thomas!'

'Bathsheba,'

As I walked passed one of the stalls, someone called my name, catching hold of my wrist as they did so and pulled me into the straw filled box. I wanted to scream, though the sound got stuck in my throat but it made no differences anyway, as another hand soon covered my mouth.

'Please don't scream, Bathsheba,' hissed Thomas' father, who despite his advance years, was still very strong, 'I'm not going to hurt you,'

'Get off me,' I snapped, as I found the strength to push him away but in truth, I think he just let go of me, 'I told you to stay away,'

'In town,' he said, still in a low voice as he walked away slightly, 'they said your little girl is sick. I wanted to see if she was well,'

'She's fine,' I replied, my voice still stern as I was not about to be taken in my this man's show of sympathy-he was evil and evil does not change, 'what do you what? I told you to stay away from us!'

'I think we both know, I was not the best of fathers,' he sighed, sinking down onto a mound of straw and running his fingers through his thinning, greasy hair, 'but aren't I allowed the chance to make amends? I know how you must feel...'

'No!' I shouted, 'no, you don't know how I feel because you are a bully! You don't know what it's like to feel scared everyday of your life! Being too scared to close your eyes at night, for fear of what will happen in the darkness if you do! But come the morning, you find yourself too scared to open them, for fear of the beatings the new day will bring! Do you know what it's like, always being cold, hungry and covered in bruises? Because I do! And so does my husband thanks to you! Now get off my land, before I call the men to force you off!'

I turned to leave, hoping that this would be the very last time I saw my father-in-law, but as I reached the door to the stables, he called me back.

'He didn't fetch my son, did he?' he said, quietly but loud enough for me to hear it and for a chill to run down my spine.

'What?' I answered slowly, turning back to face him, 'how did you know?'

'I have eyes and ears,' he continued, coming closer to me and said with a small laugh, 'though Tommy will never admit it, he did get some things from me. Your wonderful cousin, when he was meant to be telling a man that his child was sick, was actually in a brothel servicing a whore!'

I knew Edmund hadn't not told Thomas, that Kate was sick and was in desperate need of her father but I hadn't expected Edmund to be doing something so disgusting-so low!

'Are you sure?'

'I may be old, my dear,' he answered, his voice soft and kind, which unnerved me slightly, 'and I maybe dying but I know what I saw and I know what I was told. And I know from years of experience, that that man is a bad and you should make sure he never goes near your family ever again!'

'How can I trust you?'

'Because you know I speak the truth,'

'Thank you,' I nodded, looking at him straight in the eyes and finding that he did seem surprisingly small and weak but I still could not bring myself to offer him kindness, 'and Kate is feeling much better now, thank you. I will let Thomas know you called. Good day,'

'Good day Bathsheba,'

I walked back to the house, my mind spinning. I knew Edmund had lied to me and I knew not to trust him, but for some reason, finding out he was in a brothel, made the whole thing even more of a betrayal. My stomach churning, I headed for the kitchen and went to pour myself a glass of water, but as I reached for the jug, I heard a voice which made my skin crawl and caused the glass to slip through my fingers!

* * *

'Bathsheba,' cried Edmund, rushing over to me as I bent over to pick up the broken glass, 'be careful. I do not want you to hurt yourself,'

'Get your hands off of me!' I shouted, pushing him away as he tried to put an arm round my shoulders, 'don't touch me! Get away from my family! Get out of my house!'

'Bathsheba, please,' he begged, looking so shocked as he stumbled backwards but this time his pleas of innocence where not going to work on me, 'what has...'

'You bastard!' I screamed, 'I trusted you! I welcomed you into my home! And you repay me with nothing but lies!'

I bunched my hands into fists, ready to physically removing him from my house, if needs be. He was my cousin but he had done nothing but lie to me since the first day, telling me he was Catholic instead of Protestant and he making me question the love my husband felt for me. He had told me on many occasions how hard my life must be, sharing it with a man, who had done much wrong, who must love his first wife a great deal more than me and worst of all, when my child had been sick and he told me, my husband had abandoned us!

'Bathsheba?'

'I trusted you to tell my husband that his child was sick,' I said, more levelly this time as I tried to calm myself, 'and instead you went to a brothel and told me that my husband had abandoned his family,'

'Bathsheba what I told you was the truth,' he begged, grabbing hold of my hand, 'your husband refused to come. Maybe your stepson talked him round, but he would not come when I...,'

'Stop lying! You didn't even see my husband,' I answered, a little more on edge as I tried to free my hand, only to find that he held on tighter, 'let go of me!'

'Come, Bathsheba,' he whispered, pulling me towards him, 'you know that husband of yours does not love you,'

'Shut up!' I screamed, hoping Bryan or Suffolk would hear me, as Edmund grabbed hold of my other hand, when I tried to stop him stroking my hair, 'let go of me!'

Edmund smiled a small smile, with nothing wickedness in it. Fear spread across my body as he pushed me against the wall, pinning my arms up above my head as pressed his body against mine.

'You know deep down, Bathsheba, that that creature does not love you,' he hissed into my ear, as I continued to struggle, 'he did not even trust you enough to tell you his father was still alive! How could he possible love you? You are nothing to him, Bathsheba. He calls you his wife, but that is only because it's a respectable way of making you his tart. He only wants you, cause of the fun you give him, when you are on your back. Cromwell a smart man, he knows it would be too dangerous for the likes of him to be visiting the stews, so he found himself a little whore, he could fashion into his play thing,'

'Shut up!' I shouted, trying to wriggle free but found Edmund held me so tight, that I thought my blood would stop running to my finger tips. All I could do, was prayer someone would hear my shouts.

'Bathsheba, do not think me cruel. I say these things as someone who loves you, who hate the fact you are being made a fool of. He dresses you up, sits you on his knee and feeds you lines to say about what a great man he is, while all the time he is laughing at you. He could never love the likes of you, when his mind and heart still love another. Even when he is inside you, he does care for you. It maybe your thighs he's between, but his imagining someone else face,'

'Get your hands off...'

But before I could finish screaming, Edmund put his mouth on top of mine, his wet tongue trying desperately to fight its way passed my locked jaw.

'I believe my wife told you to get your hands off of her!'

* * *

'Thomas!' I cried, as I managed to break free of Edmund, who had loosened his grip on seeing Thomas standing in the kitchen, his face emotionless as he stared at him, 'Thomas, please. He forced me,'

'I know, Bathsheba,' whispered Thomas, holding me tightly to him and I instantly felt safe once more, 'I should never have let this bastard into our house! I should have thrown him out, the day he turned up on our doorstep!'

'Lord Cromwell,' pleaded Edmund, looking desperate as he fell to his knees and looked up at my husband, 'forgive me. You were never meant to find out like this!'

Thomas kissed me on the top of the head, before gently letting me go and walking slowly towards Edmund, his face still expressionless. I wasn't sure what to make of Thomas' reaction, until I saw him kicked Edmund so hard, he tumbled over, landing on the stone floor with a thud.

'How was I meant to find out?' sneered Thomas, his voice now building up with anger, 'tell me, how was I meant to find out that you are a lying bastard, who was planning to hurt my poor wife and our children?'

'No!' begged Edmund, as Thomas' kicked him a second time in the gut, but I felt no sympathy-I wanted this liar gone from our lives as quickly as possible, 'no, Lord Cromwell, you don't understand...I wanted to tell you from the start but she begged me not to! She begged me to keep silent! You know how persuasive Bathsheba is when she is on her back!'

I wanted to scream! I want to scream so loud, that I would bring the house down around me! How dare he make up such sick and twisted lies! I had never given him a second glance-why would I, when I had my husband?

'How dare you!' I screamed, charging at him and kicking him as hard in the gut, I could, as he tried to get to his feet, 'I would rather die than ever let you touch me! It makes me sick even thinking about it!'

I was not a violent person but I wanted this bastard to suffer! Why would I ruin my life? Why would I hurt the people I loved more than anything else in the whole world, for a few moments with that slimy creature?

'Bathsheba,' cried Thomas, grapping hold of me and pulling me once again to him, 'let me deal with this, I won't let you lose our child over this bastard,'

I nodded my head in agreement and walked slowly away, as Thomas once again advanced on him, this time pulling Edmund to his feet and throwing him against the wall, with such a crash, that several pans smashed on the floor.

'You really are low,' sneered Thomas, kicking at one of the pans, 'how dare you accuse my innocent wife of such disgusting crimes,'

'I'm sorry, Lord Cromwell,' answered Edmund, his voice surprisingly steady, 'but your wife is no innocent. If she was, how come I know her birthmark is on the inside of her left tigh? How come I know that when she's overcome with pleasure, that her body trembles to violently, it causes her to cling tightly to the man who has just given her that pleasure, needing him to hold her until she has stopped shivering,'

'You disgust me!' I screamed so violently, I felt my body shake. This man, who I had trusted, who I had defended, had been spying on me and my husband when we had been at our most intimate! I suddenly felt even more bile gathering in my belly, as I thought about his beady eyes, enjoying watching us make love, 'you're filth!'

'Bathsheba...' Thomas stuttered, his voice no longer sounding strong and confident, in fact he spoke in a whisper, 'I...you...he...'

I looked at my husband, his face pale, his eyes sunken and tears seeming to form in them. I looked him up and down, seeing that his whole body was shivering. He believed him! Thomas believed him! I felt my heart slowly crack and the ground beneath my feet start to split, Hell trying to swallow me up-except I was already in Hell! My beloved husband believed that I had forsaken our marriage bed to be unfaithful with this liar!

'It is true Lord Cromwell,' continued Edmund, his face a perfect picture of innocence, 'she said you were not satisfying her, the way you use to. She said you had grown old and could not meet her needs. She would come to me as soon as you left for Court and the children were with Frau Schwartz and Katherine. I swear on the cross that I tried to resist, but you know how passionate and adventurous she is –I couldn't stop it!'

'Especially once you saw those moles on my breasts,' I added, looking hard at Thomas, not believing the look I had just witnessed on his face.

'Yes...' replied Edmund, slightly unnerved, 'no...wait!'

'My wife has no moles on her breasts!' shouted Thomas, finally seeing sense-except he threw himself on Edmund, hitting him with such force that the sound on Edmund's head hitting the stone echoing around the kitchen, before he hit him again and again, causing Edmund's lips, nose and eyebrows to split!

'Thomas no!' I screamed, grabbing hold of Thomas's arm, before he could rain another blow on Edmund, whose face was already covered in blood, 'he's not worth it! He's really not worth it!'

Thomas looked at me, his eyes softening as he saw me and he lowered his fist. It was true, I had want revenge on Edmund, but I didn't want Thomas to suffer for his murder!

'Get to your feet!' snapped Thomas, his eyes once again darkening as he turned from me and kicked the blooded Edmund in the stomach, 'and get out of my sight, for next time I see you, I swear I will kill you!'

Slowly and with much work, Edmund got to his feet, his arms wrapped around his stomach. As he managed to straighten himself up, he looked at me briefly through his blooded eyes, before turning to Thomas and bursting out into an evil laugh.

'You really are a fool, Thomas!' he laughed, staggering towards the door, 'you really are a fool!'

Thomas went to go after him, but I grabbed hold of his hand and pulled him back. As I did so, Thomas placed his other hand on my waist and pulled me to him.

'Bathsheba...'

'How could you?' I shouted, pushing him away with all my strength and running to the door, 'you a worse bastard than Edmund!'

* * *

'Bathsheba!' shouted Thomas as he ran after me, but I refused to turn round as I fled upstairs, 'Bathsheba wait!'

I had tears streaming down my eyes as I ran, not caring who saw me. My husband hadn't believed me! I had seen that look in his eyes as Edmund had told his lies-he had believed his words, over the pleas of his wife! We had been together for eleven years, we had four children and I was carrying a fifth, yet he choose the words of a man, who until recently he had had nothing but contempt for, over me!

'Go away!' I cried, running into our chamber and throwing myself down on the bed, sobbing into the pillow, 'leave me alone!'

'Bathsheba, please,' whispered Thomas, sitting down on the bed beside me and placing an arm round me, gently turning me around, so that I was now facing him, 'forgive me,'

He went to put a hand on the side of my face but before I could let him, I caught hold of his hand and placed it on my stomach, staring at him straight in the eyes as I did so.

'In there, Thomas!' I snapped, 'grows your child! Unless you now believe that it is not yours!'

'Of course, I know my beautiful Bathsheba,' he said with a passion, as he tried to place a hand once again on my cheek but again I knocked him, as if I was trying to swat a fly, 'Bathsheba please, if I could turn back time, I would change everything...It was a split second-he had seen your birthmark!'

'And that means I slept with him!' I screamed, sitting up and pushing my husband in the chest, not wanting him anywhere near me, 'you told me you never trusted him! Why then accuse me of sleeping with him? Why not think that he was spying on your innocent, expecting wife, whilst she was making love to you?'

'Because...because...'stuttered Thomas, getting to his feet and kicking the small chair, by my glass, 'I always felt, that one day you would see sense! One day you will realise that you, my beautiful wife can do better than this!'

'Better than this!' I shouted, jumping to off the bed, 'being married to a man I love, bearing his children and raising them with him! How can anything be better than that?'

Thomas went to speak, but he stopped himself before words came from his mouth. Instead he came over to me and placed one arm tight around my waist and held me against him, resting his head on my shoulder.

'Bathsheba' he whispered into my ear, 'you know what a fool I am sometimes. How my mind can sometimes be weak. Please forgive me,'

'Thomas...' I started, trying to choke back tears. I wanted to forgive him so much but in front of my eyes, danced the expression on Thomas' face when he thought I had been unfaithful. The silence remained between us for a long time, broken only by the sound of a coach pulling up outside the house and voice of Lily-Anna singing loudly, 'our children are home. Let's greet them with a smile. I don't want them upset,'

* * *

'Mummy! Dada!' cried Lily-Anna, excitedly as she jumped down from the coach and ran over to us, her little hands clinging tightly to her dolls. It had been almost a week since I had bundled her and everyone else into a coach, for fear of them catching the Sweat and I missed them all so much, 'where's Kate? I made her something,'

'She's upstairs, sweetheart,' I smiled, giving her a big hug, trying to hide my tears, 'why don't you run upstairs and give it to her?'

She laugh and ran into the house, so excited to be home and to see us all again. I smiled as I watched her, she had grown so much in a week, briefly forgetting what had just happened between me and Thomas.

'Ma...Da!' cried Daniel, jumping from Katherine's arms, as she got out of the coach, and into Thomas', a big grin on his face, 'Ma...Da!'

'Daniel, you can talk!' I laughed, running over to the two of them and kissing my baby boy, 'such a clever boy!'

'He's happy to be home,' whispered Thomas, looking from his baby son to me, 'with his two loving parents,'

'Not now Thomas,' I sighed, with disappointment more than anger, 'hello Katherine, how are you? Elizabeth, I hope they haven't been any trouble? Maddie are you going to give your mother a hug?'

'Bathsheba,' started Elizabeth, climbing out the coach and looking uneasy at Katherine, who couldn't meet my eyes also, 'I'm afraid...'

'What?' I cried, running over to the coach and climbing inside, only to find my oldest child missing, 'Maddie! Where is she? Please God, tell me she isn't sick?'

'No,' whispered Elizabeth, trying to meet my eyes, 'she's...she's run away!'

'What!'

'She's runaway,' repeated Katherine, looking even more white than usual in times of trouble, 'she's runaway with my husband,'


	19. Chapter 19

**Sorry, that I am taking so long in-between updates-please forgive me. Thought I'd try another chapter from Cromwell's point of view-after all, Bathsheba is pregnant and should be putting her feet up. Big thank you to everyone who is reading this story and I hope you all enjoy this chapter. **

_Something is not right, I can feel it in my gut. Maddie is nowhere to be seen and Bathsheba, has suddenly turned as white as a sheet, her head shaking from side to side frantically as if she is in pain._

'_Here take Daniel,' I command to Frau Schwartz, who has returned to us today, after being away with our children, 'Bathsheba?'_

'_No, no,' Bathsheba cries, her body trembling as if is she is suffering from a fever. My poor wife, who I foolishly believed for a few brief moments had betrayed our marriage bed, suddenly looks so small and helpless, 'no, no, she wouldn't. No, no, not my Maddie,'_

'_I afraid,' whispers Elizabeth, not able to take her eyes off the gravel, 'it is true Bathsheba. She came down for breakfast all smiles, then return to her chamber to pack, but when we went to fetch her to leave, she was not there. All we found was this note...I am so sorry, Bathsheba, Father,'_

_Bathsheba snatches the piece of paper and stares at it, her hands still shaking as her beautiful green eyes grow wider. Slowly and very carefully because of my earlier foolishness, I place an arm around her waist, wanting to comfort her, despite still not knowing what has caused her ill- though I know my earlier stupidity has already given her heavy heart._

'_Bathsheba...'_

'_The same mistake as me,' she cries, as her legs give way, though I catch her before she falls, 'the same as me,'_

'_Shh, Bathsheba,' I whisper, scooping her up and carrying towards the house, 'I have got you,' _

_

* * *

_

'_How long has she been missing?' I ask Elizabeth, as I lay Bathsheba down on our bed, 'do not move, Bathsheba. You have had a nasty shock,'_

'_Our daughter...' she whispers, trying to get to her feet, but I gently help her back on to our bed, 'our daughter!'_

'_Bathsheba, please listen,' I say, placing a hand on the side of her face, 'Maddie, despite what she has done, would not want any harm to come to you or her brother or sister,'_

'_But she's my daughter,' Bathsheba whimpers, trying once again to move, but again I help her back on to the bed, this time pulling a blanket over her legs, 'I need to stop her,'_

'_Our daughter will be fine,' I smile, sitting down on the bed, placing a hand on the side of her face, 'she is strong, just like her mother...besides I will find her,'_

_Before she can reply, I kiss her gently on the lips, trying to comfort her. I see the pain in her eyes. She has always worried much more about Maddie, than about the rest of our children. Bathsheba fears that she is too much like herself at that age and that she will find it hard to survive in this world, that Maddie will be easily taken in-but Bathsheba is strong and so is Maddie, but she is still a child. _

'_When was the last time you saw her?' I ask Elizabeth, who is stood in the corner of the chamber, wringing a lace handkerchief in her hands, 'could they have gotten far?'_

'_Three hours,' she sobs, 'I thought she was just in her chamber packing. I'm so sorry, Father, Bathsheba. Gregory's gone to the city, to see if he can find any news of them. He said he would meet you at your office, Father...I'm so sorry,'_

'_None of this is your fault, Elizabeth,' I reply, getting to my feet and approaching my daughter-in-law, who is in almost as worse state as my poor wife, 'you were not know, none of us where to know how deeply Culpepper had ensnared her,'_

'_I have to find her!,' voices Bathsheba, kicking the blanket off of her and trying once again get to her feet, 'I need to find my little girl,'_

_My poor wife looks to helpless as she sits on the side of our bed, her curls falling out from her braid, the colour drained from her beautiful face and her green eyes, usually so bright, are now dull and lifeless. She fears Maddie is making the same mistake as she did, letting herself fall for the pretty words of a man, who will just abuse her-but we have the extra worry that our daughter is still a child._

'_And we will find her, Bathsheba,' I smile, trying to sound calm as I rush back to her, placing a hand gently on her cold cheek, 'listen to me, we will find her but now you need to rest,'_

'_Dada,'_

_I turn round and see our two youngest daughters stood in the doorway, Kate with one of my capes wrapped round her shoulders and Little One holding two of her precious dolls close to her._

'_Kate, Little One, come here,' I say and two of them run over to us, 'now I have to go out for awhile, so I need you both to look after your mother for me,' _

_They nodded their heads seriously before climbing on to the bed, wrapping their arms protectively around their mother, who has finally listened to my words and is now lying back on the pillows._

'_Do not worry, Dada,' says Kate, nodding her head, taking in the instructions very seriously, her face mimicking mine, 'we will make sure nothing happens to Mummy, won't we, Lily-Anna?'_

'_Yes,' chirps Little One, kissing her mother tenderly on the cheek and offering her one of her dolls, 'don't worry about Maddie, Mummy and Dada. Maddie has taken Esther and Sarah with her and they'll look after her,'_

_I smile reassuringly as I kissed my three precious girls goodbye, but the look on Bathsheba's fragile face shows that she is plagued with the same terror as me-that our oldest little girl is in great danger._

* * *

'_I have asked around every tavern in Dusseldorf, father,' sighs Gregory, running his fingers through his hair, 'but no one has seen any sight of Maddie or Culpepper,'_

'_I doubt even Culpepper would be foolish enough to take her to the city, which is on his doorstep!' I mutter, as I kick the chair placed by my __desk out of frustration, as the more time we waste in finding her, the more likely the chance that that bastard has taken her innocence, 'shit!'_

'_I'm sorry, father,' Gregory whispers, slouching in the window seat, 'I should have watched Maddie more closely, but she was so happy when Kate got better and when we told her that she would soon be going home. Both Lizzie and I thought she had decided to change her ways,' _

_I __suddenly feel guilty, as I did not mean to attack his actions; I'm just frustrated at my lack of progress. My informants around the city has seen no sign of either of them, in fact Culpepper has not been at his house for several nights and despite the high price I have offered his man-servants, they either out of loyalty, fear or ignorance are refusing to talk. _

'_Forgive me, Gregory,' I sigh, going over to him and placing an arm on his shoulder-there is so much of Elizabeth, in his still young face, 'it just if anything was to happen to Maddie, I would never forgive myself,'_

'_I know, father,' he replies with a small smile, 'Maddie and I had such a long talk the other day, it was just like how it use to be. She was laughing and speaking so calmly. She said missed you and Bathsheba so much, that she could not wait to get home. This morning when the maid went to dress her, she found Maddie in the nursery playing with Lily-Anna, Henry and Frances…'_

'_The maid,' I interrupt, repeating my son's words as thought suddenly strikes me-how could I have been so foolish-we were asking the wrong servants, 'that's it!'_

'_Its no good, father,' groans Gregory, shaking his head wearily and wringing his hands together, 'both Lizzie and I questioned all the maids as soon as we found her gone but none of the know or could tells us anything. They, like us, thought she was simply packing,'_

'_But the women of the Culpepper household must know something,' I cry, grapping my poor son's arm and pulling him towards the door, knowing we have little time to lose, 'and I'm sure they will be more than willing to speak,'_

_

* * *

_

_It took some persuading but finally, after many pleas, both Gregory and I managed to coax Culpepper's nervous housekeeper away from the house and into the stable, so prying eyes cannot spot us. _

'_I'm sorry, sir,' the middle aged woman, with greying blonde hair, replies mournfully, 'I do not know anything. Master Culpepper left for court this morning, the same time he always does and I'm sure he will be home, at the same hour, the way he always is,'_

_She is lying. Years of experience have taught me all the signs, not to mention the fact that I know the truth about her master's movements. But she cannot meet mine or Gregory's eyes, she is constantly looking to the floor, as if a vision of the Virgin has just appeared (or has been painted on), there; she cannot stay still and moves around the stables, as though her dress is on fire. And more importantly, she is refusing to give a straight answers to any of our questions._

'_I am aware of your master's normal routine and that he has not been home for several nights,' I smile, feeling a mixture of anger and pity towards this woman-after all, I imagine Culpepper is not the most charming of employers to work for, especially if you are of the fairer sex, 'but what I want to know is, what was his plans today, after he kidnapped my daughter?'_

'_I do not know of what you are speaking of,' she whispers, once again moving away, before returning, 'I know nothing about your daughter,'_

'_Do you have a daughter, Frau Ziegler?'_

'_I...' Frau Ziegler whispers, 'yes I do,'_

'_I see,' I reply, hating to be cruel but my child is in danger and I cannot waist anytime with sympathy, 'it cannot have been easy, seeing the way your master treated his wife. Poor Mistress Culpepper, no more than a child herself and all alone in this world, with no one to look after her but that vile bastard. It must have been heartbreaking to see her being kicked and punched every day, for no other reason than her husband was bored,'_

'_Please, sir,'_

'_Yes. Heartbreaking indeed. It broke my poor wife's heart, when Catherine told her about the terror inflicted on her by the man meant to protect her. It broke mine too, especially as being a father of five girls, God if any man hurt even a hair on their head, well I know what I would want to do to that bastard,'_

'_The same as what I would do!' she suddenly shouts, flicking her eyes up at me, the dark brown of them meeting mine with surprising fire, 'but I have no choice! I need his blood money! My husband is dead, leaving me with so many debts, that some nights I worry one day I will not have money to feed my daughter and her brothers!'_

_I nodded my head, trying to suppress the greater guilt creeping into my heart-I bear a lot of that today, but this one I know I have had to cause, because if I fail to get this woman to speak, then I am nowhere nearer rescuing my daughter._

'_I know what its like to struggle with money, Frau Ziegler,' I say, resting a hand lightly on her shoulder, 'trust me, I know that it is difficult to have principles, when you are worried that you will have no money for food, let alone to pay the landlord,'_

'_Then you understand why I cannot help you, sir,'_

'_How many children do you have?'_

'_Four, sir,'_

'_Good and what are their names and ages?'_

'_My daughter Alina is ten,' she replies, her voice sounding puzzled, 'Bastian, whose eight, Gabriel and Josef are six and four,'_

'_I bet they are a handful?'_

'_They are good children, but sometimes I need to be firm with them,'_

'_My wife is expecting our fifth child together. We already have baby of eight months, as well as two mischievous girls under the age of ten, not to mention poor, innocent Maddie. I know my wife would appreciate an extra hand to help her,' _

_She looks at me, then glances over to Gregory, who is keeping watch by the stable door, with a raised eyebrow. Gregory turns to her and nods with an encouraging smile-I do not blame people when they do not believe my words, (after all, I am the devil!), but my son has no such look about him and is incapable of telling a lie._

'_If I tell you what I know, Lord Cromwell,' she says, her voice gaining strength, 'and I want your reassurance that as soon as we finish speaking, I can take my children and belongings to your home and find safety waiting for me,'_

'_My wife would never turn away a family in trouble and I can assure, she will be eternally gratefully to anyone who can help us find our daughter. Now, Frau Ziegler, please tell me all you know,' _

* * *

'_Do not worry, father,' smiles Gregory, warming his hands by the small fire, before returning to his stool by the table and taking a sip of ale, 'we will reach her in time,'_

_I look up at me son and see the kindness in his eyes-something he certainly did not inherit from me-and try to smile, but heaviness of my burden feels so great, that it weight stops me from doing so. Culpepper has taken Maddie to Cologne and already has a head start on us, regardless of the fact that we have been ridding as hard as possible, only giving up, when it seemed our horses would soon collapse from over work. My child is in danger and I fear I cannot save her, whilst on the same day, I broke my wife's heart._

'_Father, Maddie is strong. She is like Bathsheba. If Culpepper tries to hurt her, she will have the strength to fight back,'_

'_And what if she does not,' I sigh, staring hard at my small tankard of ale, 'what if she lets herself by taken in by his lies? What if she lets herself be blinded by his tricks and allow herself to be placed in danger and ruined?'_

'_But none of us would love her any less,'_

_Would I love Maddie any less, if she allowed or was forced by Culpepper into her ruin-of course I would not. She is my daughter, regardless of the nature of her conception, and has been my child, since the night when Bathsheba and I became one. Our family was finally complete, the day when Bathsheba and Gregory brought her home from Exeter to Kate and I.I love her no less love, than I what I have for natural own. It hurts when she has been cruel, I will never deny that, but I do not care, I want her home and safe regardless...thought what type of home I would bring her back to, I do not know. A home which features a father and husband, who accused his beloved of adultery._

'_Of course we would not. We need to get her to safety,' I say, getting to my feet, patting my son on the shoulder, before going over to the window and staring out into the dark countryside. It has started to rain, the drops of water hitting the glass hard, giving the usual beautiful countryside an dark air of foreboding, 'though as safe as she can be in our home...Gregory, your father is a fool!,'_

'_Father! Do not say such things! You home is one of the happiest homes I know. Many among the court often comment on it, even the Duke himself says about the laughter in your home...I know Edmund has caused hurt, but he had us all fooled,'_

'_And I like a fool, believed him when he said my Bathsheba had taken him to our bed,'_

_Gregory is silent, his mind deep in thought, trying to understand the words I have just spoken. Even I do not believe them. How could I have ever believed my beautiful, passionate and loving wife would ever betray me? But then, I think the reasons for my fears lies within my question._

'_Father how could you?' my son cries in horror, looking at me in disgust, 'Bathsheba would never forsake you! For Christ sake, do you not see the way she looks at you?'_

'_I know, I know,' I say, shaking my head from side to side, 'but it was a moment of weakness, which preyed on my fears,'_

'_Fears!' continues Gregory, joining me by the window, 'foolish fears , my dear father,'_

'_Are they?' I whisper, hating myself for my thoughts but the fault as always lies with me and never with Bathsheba, 'Bathsheba is still young. She only a few years old than you. She still has many years left, but I am growing old. Our children are the same age as my grandchildren. When I am old, she will still be young, capable of bearing and raising a family-it is fair for me to inflict my old age on her and our children?'_

_There is silence between us for a moment and the two of us simply stand there, listening to the frantic tapping of the rain, hitting the window with some force now and my thoughts fall on Bathsheba. I see her lying on our bed, her belly slightly swollen with our child and crying for our oldest-I hope Kate, Little One and Daniel bring her some comfort tonight._

'_You know father,' says Gregory, bringing me out of my thoughts, 'I think its a little too late to worry about such things,'_

_I turn to him and see a smile on his lips, causing me to laugh, but as I try to forget briefly my troubles, we hear a familiar scream._

* * *

'_Father! Father!,' we hear Maddie scream at the top of her lungs, as we run out into the hall, 'Father, please help me!'_

'_Upstairs!'_

_The two of us charge up stairs, not believing we could both have been so unwise as to not ask the landlord and his wife if they had seen them, whilst hoping that we are not too late._

'_Father! Help me! Father! I want to go home! I want my mother!'_

_We reach the door at the end of the long corridor, Maddie's screams growing worse and more terrifying but as we throw ourselves against the hard oak door, her cries go silent. But silence does not fill the air , as we now hear the sounds of a struggle and shattering of glass!_

'_Quick,' I shout to Gregory as we both push our shoulders as hard as we can against the securely bolted door. As I have said, I am not as young as I once was, (despite my beating of that bastard Edmund) and the door is extremely heavy, that part of me fears we will not break it down in time, but as I have often found in my life, sometimes you can find the most toughest of strengths, from the weakest of bodies._

'_My door!' shouts the Landlord, hurrying down the hall forwards us, 'my door!'_

_But before he can reach us, the two of us finally snap the bolts and the door flies open, with us tumbling after it, but we stay on our feet. The chamber is dime, with the only light coming from the fire and a few candles and it is now eerily quiet. Furniture has been over turned and the bed has the look of one that has seen the action of...my daughter's ripped dress lies in the middle of it!_

'_The window, father,' cries Gregory and the two of us rush over to the open window, as rain rushes in, hitting us in the face. We look into the darkness of the storm and through shielded eyes, we see the figure of Culpeper escaping on a horse but no Maddie, 'we are too late,'_

'_Maddie! What has he...'_

_But before I can finish, I hear a low wimping noise as if some small creature is injured. Turning around, I find that the small cries of pain are coming from under the bed, so I kneel down, hearing the crack of broken glass under my knees and lift up the blanket. In the darkness, as my eyes grow use to the black, I see the frightened face of Maddie staring back at me._

'_Father! Father!' she sobs, climbing out, 'I'm sorry, father. I'm so sorry!'_

_As she moves from her place of safety, I see the state of my poor daughter. Her eyes are red with tears, a little cut on her lip causing her to bleed, whilst her shift is ripped and torn. In one hand, she holds a broken wine bottle, but it is her two old dolls, which she holds tight against her in her other arm, which catches my attention._

'_Father!' she cries, throwing her arms around me and crying into my chest, 'I'm so sorry,'_

'_It's alright, Maddie,' I smooth, pulling a blanket from the bed and wrapping it around her, 'it's alright, no one will hurt you now,'_

_We both sit there for a moment, my daughter crying against me, as I hold her tight and thank God, for her being alive._

'_My door!' snaps the Landlord, standing over us, anger in his fat round face, 'what about my door!'_

'_I do not care about your door,' I reply lowly, 'and unless you want to end up not being compensated, I suggest you get me a coach and physician at once!'_

'_No' Maddie wails, 'no I don't want a physician. I just want to go home!'_

* * *

'_Is mother angry with me?' Maddie asks quietly, as she huddles against me, (still holding her dolls), in the coach as we travel homewards, 'does she hate me?'_

'_Sweetheart,' I reply, hugging her, 'of course she does not hate you. She loves you, we all love you, but yes, she is angry,'_

_Maddie leans away slightly and nods her head up and down, before drying her eyes on the sleeve of a clean dress, which the Landlord's wife begrudgingly found for her. She looks so small, so young, but then she is-what kind of man, preys on such an innocent child._

'_I have been so cruel to you father,' she says, looking over at me, 'and I am so sorry,'_

'_It does not matter, Maddie. I am just glad you are safe, but promise me, that whatever happens in the future, you will always remember that I see you as being my daughter, that I do not love or care for you any less than what I do for Gregory, Kate, Little One and Daniel,'_

'_I know you do, father,' she whispers, pulling away from me and sitting up, her eyes staring hard at the coach's floor, 'but the rest of the world does not see it that way. That's why I did what I did. No one sees me as Lord Cromwell's daughter. They see me as being Lord Cromwell's bastard step-daughter and who would let their son marry a bastard? They will be queuing up to let their sons marry Kate and Lily-Anna and the daughters to marry Daniel, but who would have me? They laugh at me-even William's parents laugh at me. That's why I did the horrible things, I did because Thomas seemed to like me-he told me he loved me and I thought he would be the only man to ever do so...so I...I..I'_

'_Oh, Maddie,' I laugh, pulling her back to me and kissing her on top of the head, 'you are one of the cleverest young women in Europe. If More, God rest his soul, (did I really just say that?), was still alive, he would be jealous that you are my child and not his. You are cleverer than most men I know and you are beautiful too. You truly are your mother's daughter, any decent, kind man would give his right arm for you to be his wife. Now, no more tears and no more nonsense,'_

'_But...'_

'_No. Maddie, I swear to you, I will not let Kate or Little One marry, until I have found you a husband worth of you,'_

_She nods her head, before kissing me on the cheek and then resting her head against my shoulder, closing her eyes as she drifts off to sleep._

'_I love you, father,'_


	20. Chapter 20

**Big thank you for everyone who is reading this story- I never intended it to be quite so long, so thank you for continuing as there is still a long way to go. **

**Just a quick note-I reveal Bathsheba's age in this chapter but not Cromwell's. Technically, he should be (going with the 1485 birth date) 61, but because James Frain (who I have a tiny bit of a crush on, in case you hadn't guested), is much younger, I have made Cromwell's age ambiguous. Also the ending is a bit smutty, but not enough in my mind to warrant an M rating, but if anyone disagrees please let me know and I will change it.**

**Happy reading **

I looked at my two baby girls, sleeping in the faint candlelight and tried my best not to cry. It was the very early hours of the morning and was still night outside, but the despite the lateness of the hours, I could not sleep.

Kate and Lily Anna had not let me move from my bed since their father had instructed them to take good care of me. They had both insisted that they eat their meals, (they were both as stubborn as their father), in with me and as the day had turned into night, they had both climbed into bedside me, snuggling against my body and falling into a deep sleep. But I could not follow their example. My head was pounding, my belly churning and my heart sick with terror. As my two youngest daughters had slept, I creep out of bed, slipped a shawl around my shoulders, before picking a sleeping Daniel out of his cot and cradled him in my arms as I watched Kate and Lily-Anna.

My three babies looked so peaceful, Daniel snuggling against me, his little thumb in his mouth and my two daughters hugging each other and their dolls as they slept peacefully in their parents' large bed. Any other time this little scene would have brought a smile to my lips, but now, it only brought a tear to my eyes as my oldest baby was missing and in great danger.

Prayed to God constantly that night, asking that he would keep her safe but I knew from experience that even the holiest prayers to Our Father in Heaven, was sometimes not enough to halt the actions of unscrupulous men. It was not that I doubted Thomas-I knew my husband would do everything humanly possible to find our daughter, but I feared that it could be too late to save her!

'Mummy, Dada said I could climb the tree,' Kate mumbled in her sleep as she turned over on to her back.

'I want to look like a princess, Mummy,' whispered Lily-Anna, as she too wriggled in her sleep, 'so I can look just like you,'

I started to cry then. Not loud sobs, but quiet tears, that soaked my cheeks. I had failed. I had failed as a mother and worst of all, I had failed my daughter. I always thought I could protect her, from the evils of men. I thought I could stop her making the same dreadful mistake that I had. Not that I regretted my foolish decision to listen to the lies Anthony had whispered in my ear-after all, to regret, would mean that I regretted having my beautiful Maddie, as well as the many blessing God had given me since meeting Thomas; but I wanted my children, especially my oldest, to know that the happiness I had with their father, through less painful means.

Had I neglected her? Had I not praised her enough? Had I not listened to her or spoken to her enough about the problems she was having? All these months, every time we spoke, it had turned into an argument, with both of us shouting at the top of our voices. She said I loved my natural children by Thomas more and I had told her, that she was a silly little girl. I should never have shouted. What kind of mother loses their tempter with their child so cruelly? She was in need of love. I should have hugged her and kissed her, telling her I loved her just as much as I loved Kate, Lily-Anna and Daniel, but I had not-I had been nasty.

Poor little Daniel started to wake, as he felt my tears on his sweet young face. He looked so much like Thomas, that I could already see that he would make a man, just as good as his father. I prayed then that all my children inherited everything from their father and took nothing from me, because I just seemed to ruin everything I touched. Maddie, not to mention my foolishness at welcoming Edmund into our lives and letting him ruin my marriage. I was a fool.

Biting my bottom lip, I placed Daniel back into his cot and went to fetch some powder for my head, but as I reached the door, I heard the sound of horses' hooves and wheels on the stone before the house.

* * *

Out of breath, with tears streaming down my face and with a belly full of morning sickness, I stood in front of the house, watching as the coach came to a halt, praying with all my strength that this misery would have a happy end.

I tried to catch my breath as door to the coach creaked slowly open and to stop my tears from falling, as my exhausted husband climbed out. He looked so tired and weak, the pain I was feeling, was reflected on his troubled face.

'Thomas!' I cried, recovering as I rushed towards him, but found my emotional state return, as I saw him help a fragile looking Maddie from the coach, 'Maddie!'

As she got out of the coach, looking tired and pale, her hair unbushed and dressed in a dress that is far too big for her, I threw my arms around her, holding her growing body tight against mine. I buried my face her dishevelled auburn locks, crying as I vowed never to let her out of my sigh again.

'Mummy!' she sobbed, holding me just as tight, 'I'm sorry,'

'Hush,' I cried, tears once again pouring from me, 'hush, my beautiful daughter. Hush,'

* * *

'Mummy,' she mumbled, as she climbed into her bed and rested her tired head on the pillow, as I pulled the blankets over her, 'I…'

'Shsh,' I whispered, kissing her gently on the forehead and stroking her hair, the way I did when she was a little girl and was feeling poorly, 'we will talk later, but now you need to sleep,'

She tried to move her lips as she nodded her head, but she was too tired to speak and soon, she joins her brother and sisters in the world of dreams. My Maddie looked so small, as she slept and too young to have been through what had just happened. I tried not to notice the cut around her mouth, it reminding me of the time when I first brought her home to live with me, Thomas and Kate. I had failed her then, letting the nuns of St Agnes take her away from me, and I had failed her now, letting her become that bastard's play thing. But I could not dwell on my failings now, as all my attention needed to go into looking after my oldest baby.

I kissed her on the fore head again, but this time a lot more gently as I didn't want to wake her from her slumber, before tiptoeing to the other side of the bed and lying down next to her. I wrapped an arm around her waist, whilst I thanked God for her safety and well being, before closing my eyes and finally falling asleep.

'How is she?'

'Mmm,' I mumbled, opening my eyes almost as soon as I closed them. It was still dark in the chamber, despite the fact it must soon have been time for the sun to rise, and my eyes took sometime before adjusting to my surroundings. But as they came into focus, I saw Thomas sat on the edge of the bed, his tired body hunch over as he perched beside me, 'Thomas?'

'Sorry, did I wake you?'

He's voice sounded so sad as he spoke, that I instantly sat up right and took hold on of his hand. His skin was cold, as I held his hand between mine. He had had a tough day and night too, and I had selfishly neglected him.

'No, Thomas,' I protested, kissing his hand, before rubbing its skin to bring it some warmth, 'I was just resting my eyes, but I feel you, husband, need to rest,'

'Will you join me?' he whispered, leaning forward and with his other hand, which was equally as cold, placed it on the side of my face. As his icy thumb stroked my cheek, he lent forward and kissed me, 'lie beside me,'

I wanted to sleep beside him. To feel his arm tight around my waist and his warm breath on the back of my neck-it would be blissful end to a terrible course of events. But I couldn't leave Maddie, not now my little girl needed me and I wanted to be there when she awoke.

'Thomas, I can't. Maddie needs me,'

'I'm sorry. Forgive me, it was selfish of me,' he said, looking away as he pulled away from me and hurried towards the door, but his feet made no sound-he was still concerned for Maddie too, 'forgive me, Bathsheba,'

He looked so small as he made his way to the door. His shoulders hunched over, his extremely pale face, white against the darkness of the chamber, looking at the direction of the floor. This was not the man, who had confidently and with little fear had brought the Reformation to England. It was the look of a man, whose world had just collapsed around him and was on his way to the gallows. It was then, that I remembered the events before Maddie's flight. When Edmund had tried to seduce me and had for a moment convinced Thomas that I had been unfaithful to him, but I had forgiven and forgotten the moment Thomas went in search of Maddie-for that was the actions of a man who truly loved me.

'Thomas,' I smiled, as he turned back to face me from the doorway, 'thank you,'

With a thin smile, which did not stay too long on his lips, he nodded his head, before once again turning away, shutting the door gently as he left.

* * *

'I'm so sorry, Mummy,' cried Maddie, looking down at the floor as she rung her hands together, 'please do not hate,'

It was midday and after a very difficult night, me, Maddie and Thomas were now sat in Thomas' study, as my husband and I tried to put our daughter back together. She looked so much more like her normal, innocent self as she sat beside me, in a fresh dress and her hair washed and hanging lose in a mass of curls.

'Oh, Maddie, my darling girl,' I smiled, kissing her on the top of her head as I hugged her, 'I could never hate you. Now never say such things,'

'It was just…' she started, then stopped, taking a deep breath and looking up at Thomas with teary eyes, 'I just felt that was that there was no place for me here. That I was not wanted and I was just a shameful reminder of your past and one which father had to put up with,'

'Maddie,' whispered Thomas, coming over from where he was leaning on his desk, sitting down beside her and placing an arm round her shoulder, 'if we have ever treated you differently, it has only been out of love and protection for you,'

I looked at Thomas and felt my heart almost glow. How could anyone every think him the devil? No other man would have taken on their wife's bastard child the way he had with Maddie. I was sure most men would have rejoiced when she had run away, thinking it was the end of an embarrassing little problem.

'I know that now,' she said, wiping her eyes on a lace handkerchief, which Lily-Anna had made for her, 'it was just Thomas was so convincing…'

'I bet he was,' mumbled Thomas, biting on his bottom lip, as I saw one of his hands clench into a fist.

'Maddie,' I broke in, with a heavy sigh. I was angry as Thomas, perhaps even more so, given what my father's friend had done to me in the beer cellar. I didn't want to ask this of my little girl, but I knew my mind would not rest until it had the answer, 'what happened in the inn?'

Maddie looked at me with tear filled eyes, all wide and full of innocence. She turned to Thomas then, before once again looking at the floor.

'I thought I would like it,' she said quietly, wriggling in her seat, 'I liked kissing, even though it was a bit wet. And Thomas said if I loved him, I would let him do it to me. He said no one else would love me because I was a bastard and the daughter of a traitor. So I said yes. It was fun at first, his hands tickled my legs, but it felt nasty as his hands went further up my skirts. I did not like it. He tried to put his fingers…'

She looked uneasily at me, before continuing.

'Up my special place,' she mouthed to me and I felt sickness in my belly at the thought of some bastard violating my child, 'I told him to stop. I said I had seen my father and brother arrive at the inn and if he didn't stop, I'd scream for them to save me. But he did not believe me. He ripped my dress and pinned me down. He said I'd like it in a moment, but he bite my lip when he kissed me. His eyes looked evil, Mummy, I thought he was going to kill me but then he took his hand away from my arms, so he could get out his….I did not look, Mummy, Father. It was then I reached for this wine bottle Thomas had left on the side and smashed it over his head and screamed for Father and Gregory,'

'That's my girl,' I smiled, hugging her tightly and vowing never to let her go again, 'now promise me you will never put us through that again?'

'I promise,' she said, looking at the both of us and returning my smile, 'and I mean it this time. I'll swear on the Bible if you like,'

Both me and Thomas laughed, reassuring her that there was no need, that we did trust our oldest daughter again, but it was then I realised that I needed her to trust me too. Sliding off the bench where the three of us were sat, I kneeled before her, taking hold of her hand.

'Now I need you to forgive me, daughter,' I said, staring straight at her, 'I failed in protecting you. I should have told you I loved you more. I should have praised you more and given you my full attention when you were in pain. I let you down,'

'Mummy, no,' she cried, throwing her arms around my shoulders, 'none of this was your fault, nor Fathers'. All you two have ever done is love and protect me, I see that now. It was my own silly fault, encouraged by Thomas and Edmund,'

'Edmund?' said both me and Thomas at the same time, looking at each other with raised eyebrows. Edmund had caused nothing but trouble since he arrived, but this was one area I thought us free of him-but it turns out-like with most things-I was wrong.

'I was crying in the garden one day and Edward found me,' she continued, staring once again at the floor, 'he asked me what was wrong and I told him, how I feared I would never marry because everyone knew I was not really Lord Cromwell's daughter. He was nice and he listened to me and my troubles. He told me that Thomas clearly was sweet on me, but when I said it was wrong, because he had a wife; Edward said that I deserved happiness and I would never get it here anywhere else. He said you hated me, Mummy because I was the daughter of a traitor and I reminded you of the biggest mistake you ever made…please do not cry, Mummy…And he said that Father did not care for me. I'm sorry, Father I did not mean to believe him. I do not hate you. I never hated you. I know you're my real father and not Anthony Dixon,'

'And I will always be your Father, sweetheart,' smiled Thomas, kissing her on top of the head, 'nothing will ever change that,'

'He said you were evil,' Maddie continued, resting her head against Thomas, 'he said you were Satan. He said you destroyed all you touched. He said you danced on the grave of Sir Thomas More, that you betrayed your friends and that you had my father killed, so you could keep my Mummy all to yourself. He said that Mummy always wanted to go back Lord Dixon, but you had her trapped and placed her under your spell. I do not know really why I believed him, but I just felt so angry all the time that Kate, Lily-Anna and Daniel would have the love and respect that I would never get. I just wanted a place in the world,'

She started crying again, putting her head in her hands as she wailed loud, heart-breaking sobs. I hugged her as she cried, wanting to make her pain go away.

'Maddie, please don't cry,' I smoothed, 'you have a place. You always have had a place. We could never love you any less and we would do anything to protect you…now please, no more tears…How about if William comes over for lunch tomorrow?'

Maddie looked up at me and I saw the small hint of a smile appear through all those tears.

'Will that be alright, Father?'

'Of course,' smiled Thomas, though I could sense his discomfort as he got to his feet and went over to his desk. He went through several draws, piling paper high on his already crowed desk top, before returning to us with a small bundle of yellowing paper, which he handed to Maddie, 'these were taken from More's cell in the Tower. I want you to have them, Maddie,'

Maddie's eyes widen as she looked as the paper in her trembling hands, before throwing her arms around her Father, 'thank you, Father! Thank you! I know you did not mean to kill him! Thank you…but wait, shouldn't his family have them?'

'Oh knowing More, I'm sure they have a copy,' smiled Thomas, before once again looking serious, 'and thank you Maddie, despite everything, I wish things had ended differently,'

Maddie hugged her father again and went to speak, but before she could there was a knock at the door, followed by it flying open and Kate came striding in, followed by Lily-Anna, both of them carrying their little fishing poles.

'Maddie,' said Kate, going up to her sister with a smile, 'Frau Schwartz and Mr Bryan are taking us fishing, would you like to come?…but you are not allowed to be a moody mare,'

'Of course,' laughed Maddie, as for the first time in months she hugged both her sisters, 'and I promise I will not be a moody mare, Kate, if you promise, you won't be cheeky,'

I laughed as I watched my daughters walk off together, all smiles and laughter, it seemed as though everything was back to normal and everyone was happy. As I patted my belly, I turned to face my husband with a bright smile and determined to show him, that I had forgiven him for his silly mistake.

'Thomas,' I said, going over to where he was now sat as his desk, putting an arm round his shoulder and letting my fingers play with his hair, 'I'm going to put Daniel down for his nap…maybe we could have a lie down too?'

'Not now, Bathsheba,' answered Thomas, looking up at me, his face once again sad, 'I have work to do,'

'Can't it wait, Thomas?'

'I'm afraid not, but I will have it done by the evening, I promise,'

I nodded and walked away, trying to hide my hurt at my husband's rejection, but determined to make sure that come the evening, I would bring a smile back to his sad but handsome face.

* * *

The bath was so hot, that steam rose up off the water and filled the bathing chamber. After the last jug of steaming water was poured in, I dismissed the servants, giving them orders that one of them was to fetch my husband and that we were not to be disturbed, unless it absolutely necessary.

As the last one left, shutting the door behind them, I stood before the glass, wiping away the cloudy beads off heat, before undressing. As pulled my dress and skirts down, then lifted my shift up over my head, I let my eyes study my naked self in the mirror. I would be thirty-five with the changing of the years and was a mother of four-and soon to be a mother again. My belly borne the marks of carrying babies, little lines showing where I carried all four of them and soon, more would appear, as my swollen belly started to grow again, but I didn't mind.

I let my eyes look over every inch of my flesh, before wrapping a sheet around me. I had no idea if I was beautiful or not, nor did I mind, as I was too old to worry about such things. But more than that, I had a husband that loved me passionately, who still desired me and realised that however much my body changed, it was due to the love we shared.

'Bathsheba,' Thomas gasps, as I approach him, dressed in nothing but a white lining sheet, 'what...'

'Shsh,' I smiled, placing a finger to his lips as I press my body against his, 'don't say a word...now let's get you out of those clothes,'

Staring into his stunned blue eyes, I started to slowly unbutton his doublet. I had lost count of how many times my hands had performed this ritual over the years, but each time, my fingers were itching to uncover the secrets that lay behind the cloth, as if he was a wrapped up present and me a child, longing to open it. Finally, my hands found their way through the first layer, but as they made their way down to the tops of his breeches, wanting to make my husband free of his shirt, his own hands stopped me.

'Bathsheba, please,' begged Thomas, linking my hands with his, 'we need to talk,'

'No we don't, Lord Cromwell,' I replied, placing my lips on top of his and guiding them, in the movements of opening, then kissing, 'there is no need. You are the greatest of husbands and fathers, no other man would do the things for me, which you do. Now let's forget Edmund and all the unpleasantness and remember that it is just me and you,'

I smiled as he helped me into the bath, concern over in his face as he worried about the safety of our child. We had been luckier than many couples, in that we had only ever been robbed of one child. Though perhaps that is not fair, as poor Thomas had had to bury two daughters along with suffering the pain of us losing a baby. I thought my world had ended that day and in the few months that followed it. My body felt empty, my soul felt lost. Even after I was well enough to leave my bed, the pain had not gone, in fact it had only grown worse, until at one point, I not only rejected Thomas, but also God.

'Bathsheba?' asked Thomas, taking hold of my hand as we both sat down in the hot water. I prefer our bath in Germany, than to the one in our home in London. The round edges were wider and the bath itself a lot deeper, meaning that as I sat down, the water rose to the tips of shoulders (and meaning a lot of fun had taken place within it over the years), 'are you...'

'I am fine,' I laughed, throwing my arms around his neck and pulling myself against him, letting the heat of water make my body tingle with desire, 'I was just thinking how lucky we have been...now turn round. I want to rub your shoulders,'

Without any argument, my husband did what I had bid him do. Kneeling on the bottom of the bath and resting on the heels of my feet, I pulled him to me, so that his back was resting almost against my breasts, as I massaged his shoulders.

'My! You are tense tonight,'

'It is you, who makes me so, Bathsheba,'

'Really?' I laughed, before leaning in and whispering into his ear, letting my teeth nibble his earlobe, 'well, we will have to put that right now, won't we,'

Before he could say anymore, I let my hands rub the tense base of his neck in a hard manner, making sure my fingers were working ever tense and knotted muscle in my poor husband's shoulders. It seems to have the effect, as soon Thomas had let his body relax against mine and groans of pleasure escaped from his mouth.

'Christ, Bathsheba,' he moaned, throwing his head back, resting it on my shoulder, 'where did your hands learn to do those things?'

'My husband is a very good teacher,' I said, stopping my massage and instead wrapping arms around his neck, 'and I know he will like what I have planned for us tonight,'

'Mmm' sighed Thomas, kissing me on the cheek, 'tell me more,'

'Well, as all our children are fast asleep and the servants dismissed for the evening,' I sighed, feeling the heat on the water and its steam increase my uncontrollable desire for my husband. When I was with Anthony, I never felt this way. There was no real desire, no real want and there was no real love; it was just the idea of someone loving me, that make me believe that I loved him. But with Thomas it was different. I loved every inch of his being, his body and soul. When we were apart, my mind would constantly wander to him, as my heart would ache with missing him. I could not image my world without him, 'so I'd thought we start with a bath,'

'Then?'

'Then we go to our bed chamber,' I whispered, as my fingers played with his black curly hair. As I twirled the strands around my fingers, I noticed a small grey hair amid my husband's black mass, so I pulled it out, 'where I thought...'

'Bathsheba,' he said the tone of his voice changing, 'what did you just do?'

'It was just a grey hair,' I laughed, hugging him, 'now where were we? Oh yes, we were in our bed chamber...Thomas?'

As I spoke of my plans for this evening, Thomas once again went cold, his body tensing up so tight that I started to feel my desire give way to fear-did he still think I was angry over what had happened with Edmund?

'Bathsheba,' he said, moving away, 'we cannot. We need to talk,'

'It's alright, Thomas,' I smiled, catching hold of his hand as he tried to climb out of the bath, 'I have forgotten about Edmund. I know you didn't really think I would unfaithful to you and our family. Come back and let's put the all this behind us,'

He looked at me and for a moment I thought my words had worked, as he came back to me, placing both his hands on the side of my face. I lent forward to kiss him, hoping that we would soon be in each other's arms, but his lips didn't meet my mine; instead he smiled sadly, his troubled eyes stared straight at me.

'Forgive me, my beautiful Bathsheba,' he cried, 'please forgive me,'

'Thomas,' I laughed, putting my arms around his waist, 'I forgive. I know you know, that I would never be unfaithful to you,'

Staring into his troubled darken eyes, I watched them turn from a troubled expression into complete sadness. His handsome face became laden with troubled lines and the lips of his mouth thinning as he pulled away from me. I leaned forward from my spot in the bath, trying once again to take hold of his hand, but this time he pulled away, sitting opposite me in the water, his eyes leaving mine as he stared down at his hands and stretch out his fingers as his eyes seemed to study them.

'The veins on my hands are getting more prominent,' he suddenly said in an almost emotionless voice, breaking the silence which had mysteriously appeared between us.

'So,' I replied, not sure where this conversation would lead us, 'they are still good, strong hands,'

I looked at Thomas and tried to smile encouragingly, hoping for his mood to alter, but it didn't work, as my husband just shook his head from side to side.

'They are the hands of an old man. Tell me, how many years between you and Gregory?'

'Two,'

'Two years,' he mumbled in a way which made it seem he was in a state of confusion, 'two years between my wife and my son…two years between…Bathsheba, do you remember a young lawyer, named Richard Halle?'

Did I? I wasn't sure. I may have done, as there was always lawyers of various ages and looks wondering through Thomas' house, whether he was home or not, but I couldn't remembering any of their names, nor really picture their faces. Besides my nerves were starting to increase at this turn of conversation.

'I…'

'He was soft on you,' Thomas continued, once again looking at me, but this time with a distant stare as if remembering a long forgotten event, 'so soft, in fact, that I use to wonder if he was simply making accuses to visit me at home, so that he could catch a glimpse of you. But he was a nervous young man, too nervous to speak to you, so he would speak to me. He would constantly drop in questions about my pretty maid with the cat green eyes and the wide curls. Where was she from? Did she have any family? Of what faith was she? I use to feel jealousy eat away at me every time I heard him speak of you. All I could think of some days was how much I wanted you. I thought so often I would go mad thinking of you being with someone else. The day after you and I first…I dismissed poor, bewildered Richard and sent him to the Welsh Marshes. But I was wrong, I should never have…'

Thomas didn't need to finish this strange tale, as I could already see where it was leading us. With tears starting to drip from my eyes, causing ripples in the still almost boiling water as they hit its surface, I realised he regretted being with me.

'You regret us, don't you Thomas,' I said stonily, not able to meet his eyes, through fear of more hurt, 'you regret every taking me for your wife and us creating a life together,'

'Bathsheba,' he cried, in a voice that was suddenly full of emotion as he quickly reached out and grabbed my hand, the water squashing as he pulled our bodies together, 'how could I regret you, my Bathsheba or the beautiful children you have given me. It's just you should not be married to a man, who is old,'

I laughed. I know I shouldn't have done, but I laughed and laughed, throwing my head back as I cackled.

'Bathsheba, this is not the time for laughter,'

'Oh it is, my poor silly fool of a husband,' I smooth, trying to control myself, 'is this, what it has all been about? Your fear of Father Time,'

'It is not a fear, but a matter of truth. I grow old. I am a grandfather, whose wife is almost the same age as his son. There will come a time Bathsheba, when I…I…I. I feared it had already begun with Edmund,'

'Thomas,' I replied fatly, 'Edmund is only a few years younger than you,'

'But you are still young,' he insisted, once again looking sad, 'still young and beautiful to have a life, whilst I wait for death to take me,'

'Oh for Christ sake, Thomas!' I suddenly cried, not able to take much more of this nonsense. It was the talk of fools and my husband, (most of the time at least) was not one! With almost a leap, I threw my arms around his neck and crushed my body so hard against his, (my belly had only just started to swell), and with the water squashing widely around us, I started to kiss him, forcing his mouth open so that I could bury my tongue deep within him. He didn't take long to respond and so was matching my passion and forgetting his troubles.

'Bathsheba,' he murmured, pulling away and letting his mouth explore my neck as he ran his fingers through my hair, 'my beautiful Bathsheba,'

'Do you still regret marrying me now, Thomas,' I moaned, trying to supress my temptation as I first needed to resolves his troubles, placing my hands in his and pulling away so that we could look at each other, 'if I had married any other man, I would still be the same scared little mouse, who was convinced God was punishing her for her sins. No other man could make me what I am today. No other man could make me feel as loved as you do. No other man could make me feel as content and as safe as you do….Listen Thomas, no other man…and please always remember that there is more than my love for you, than what goes on in our bedchamber. All I ask, is for you to hold me, to kiss me, to take my hand when we go for walks-to make me feel loved,'

Thomas smiled, his eyes lighting up for the first time this evening and kissed me on the lips, but as our mouths start to embrace fully, he pulled away.

'Thomas?'

'I need some wine,'

Before I could stop him, he climbed out of the bath, wrapping a sheet around his waist, before walking over to where to a jug of wine and two goblets sat on a table, which I had asked the servants to bring in, was placed. As he poured the wine out, though he didn't drink it, I too climbed out of the bath, frustrated that my plans for the evening were not coming together.

'Thomas,'

He turned to face me, a sly smile on his face as he put down the goblet he was going to drink from and approached me.

'Do you remember,' he whispered in my ear, as he started to pull my sheet off of my body and place his arms around my naked waist, 'the time we made love on my desk?'

'You have taken me on your desk man many times, Thomas,' I sighed, as his lips caressed my neck and I pulled away his sheet, 'you'll have to be a lot…'

But before I could finish, he pick me up and in his tight grip, carried me over to the table, knocking the goblets and jug to the floor with an almighty crash, before laying me down on the table top, with a passionate kiss.

'Thom…' I started, but before I could finished, my body became flushed with heat and my voice turned to gasps as I felt his fingers exploring my womanhood, his thumb circling my bud, as beads of sweat started erupt over my body, 'Tho..mas…these…are…oh my…God…no…not….the…act…actions…of…yes…just…an…old…man,'

'Yes they bloody well are,' he whispered as he leaned over, his body still wet and hot from the bath causing my state of arousal to increase. Kissing me deeply again, he took away his fingers, just as I felt myself on the edge, but before I could complain, I found myself moaning loudly in pleasure as I felt my husband enter me. Soon, as his thrusts inside me were so strong, I was weeping in pleasure and begging my husband for more.


	21. Chapter 21

**Big thank you for my reviews and to everyone who is reading this story. So sorry that it has taken me such a long time to update-I will try and do better in the future. I hope this chapter makes up for the long delay.**

**Happy reading **

'Waaa!' cried Daniel, from his cot in the outer chamber at the top of his little lungs, 'waaaaaa!'

'It's alright, Daniel,' I yawned, as my son's piecing screams brought me out of my deep sleep, 'mummy's coming, mummy's coming,'

My eyes were full of sleep and my body still aching from the adventures of the previous evening, as I threw off the covers and felt around for my night shift. But just as I was about to lay my hands on it, I felt the strong arms of my husband around my waist, pulling me back into our bed.

'Do not move,' he whispered, his warm voice tickling my ear as he spoke, 'I will see to him,'

'Thank you,' I smiled, as he placed the blankets back over my naked body and I snuggled down under the warm covers, 'but I don't know what you going to do if he needs changing, Lord Cromwell'

'Simple,' laughed Thomas, as he climbed out of bed, 'I will call for his mother,'

I laughed as I turned over on the soft pillow and closed my eyes, letting my mind and body creep back to sleep, but before I could return to dreaming, my husband and son disturbed me.

'Sorry, Bathsheba,' smiled Thomas, as he came back into the inner chamber carrying his baby boy in his arms, 'but someone wants their mama,'

'Mama,' cried Daniel, stretching out his chubby hands as Thomas brought him over to the bed, 'Mama!'

'Hows my baby boy?' I smiled, sitting up bed and reach out my arms to take him, 'you're up early this morning,'

As Thomas sat down on the edge of the bed, Daniel almost jumped from his arms into mine. He was getting so big and strong these days, that as he wrapped his growing arms round my neck, it felt as though I was almost choking.

'Be a bit gentler with your mama, Daniel,' laughed Thomas as he kissed his son on top of his head, which was already full of thick black curls, 'she's got your brother or sister to care for too,'

'My Mama!' chirped Daniel, giving me a big cuddle as he snuggled against me, 'my Mama,'

I sighed with a smile as wrapped my hands around my youngest child and held him tight against me, breathing in his special baby smell and feeling his little heart beat. There would have been a time when I though all this joy had been lost to me forever. When they had ripped Maddie from my arms within moments of her birth, I feared I had lost all chance at knowing the joys of motherhood. Many days after, I would wander around St Agnes' feeling my arms empty and my heart full of sorrow, but only Cecily would ever listen to my pain-the others would just tell me, that it was my punishment from God.

'You two look so beautiful,' Thomas suddenly said, bringing me out of my thoughts with a smile, but as he leaned forward and kissed me on the lips, Daniel started to once again cling to me.

'My Mama!' shrieked Daniel, tightening his little grip, 'no Dada! My Mama!'

'My Daniel, you're cuddly this morning,' I laughed, hugging my baby boy as I saw the little scowl on his small face as he glared at his father, with the blue eyes he inherited from him, 'I think someone's jealous that I was giving his Dada a lot of special cuddles last night,'

Usually I would have asked one of the maids or Katherine to watch Daniel on the nights when I wished to be alone with my husband, but after all which happened with Maddie, I had decided it was best that Frau Schwartz should watch over her tonight. I had been surprised that little Daniel had been able to sleep through the whole night, though clearly he had some idea, that during his deep slumber, most of my attentions had been placed in serving in his father.

'Bathsheba,' gasped Thomas, his cheeks going slightly flushed as he tilted his head in the direction of Daniel, 'I do not think you speak that way in front of our son,'

'Oh Thomas,' I laughed, as Daniel begrudgingly let me lean forward and kiss his father on the lips, 'he doesn't understand,'

But as I spoke, a thought struck me involving Maddie. My little girl had been so frightened at what could have taken place in that tavern and I was still not sure if she was fully aware of what takes places been men and women-whether it was consensual or not. I had never fully explained it to her, about what occurs when you listen to the lusts of your heart (or your body). I had thought her too young and had been planning to wait until the time when the subject of marriage was approached. But I had been wrong. If only I had explained matters earlier, she might have been spared the pain of the past few months.

'Thomas,' I started carefully, as I twirled one of Daniel's black curls around my finger, 'I think we need to have a little chat with Maddie about certain...certain things,'

'Certain things? What type of certain things?' asked Thomas, as he took Daniel from me, 'am I forgiven Daniel for taken your Mama away from you? Because believe me, when you are married to woman in the same model as your mother, you will want a lot of extra night-time cuddles from her,'

'So Thomas ,' I teased, knowing it was best to get him into a playful mood before approaching the subject, 'if Daniel is to marry a woman just like his mother, will the girls marry men just like their father?'

'Our girls will never marry,' replied Thomas firmly, shaking his head from side to side, 'they will look after us in our old age, then when we are both gone, they will be left funds on which they will live comfortable and perform various charitable deeds,'

'So you will be placing our daughters in a new form of nunnery?'

'They had some uses,' replied Thomas, with a serious tone and expression, which caused me to laugh, 'isn't that right, Daniel? We will re-open a convent, especially for Maddie, Kate, Little One and the new baby sister, that your mother is carrying,'

'Thomas,' I laughed, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him on the cheek, 'surely, the birth of your second son taught you that your wife is just as capable of bearing boys, as she is girls...besides...their mother took the veil and look what she learned within its walls'

As I spoke, I let the sheet, which I had wrapped around my body, fall down slightly, revealing the tops of my breasts and at the same time looking straight into Thomas' eyes, making my catlike green eyes wide and round. I liked teasing my husband, watching him chew on his bottom lip, as his cheeks bushed and his eyes looked on longingly-he would look like a schoolboy, being told he couldn't have the last sweetmeat. But it was not just the fun of the look on his face; it was the fact that it was a simple act of a husband and wife. A reminder that we were friends, we were lovers, we were parents and we were a family.

'Good point, Bathsheba,' laughed Thomas, his cheeks glowing red, 'we will have to think of another plan for our daughters,'

'My poor, silly husband,' I smiled, pulling myself close to him so that he had Daniel on one knee and me on the other, 'don't you understand that I just want our girls to be as happy in life as I am now,'

'I know you do, my beautiful Bathsheba,' whispered Thomas, putting an arm around my waist and stroking my side with his thumb, 'but please understand, that I am not comfortable with thinking our little daughters will one day be women out in the dangerous world,'

'But if we prepare them properly,' I replied, kissing him on the cheek, 'then we can avoid things like what happened with Maddie, happening again...Thomas, surely you can see things more clearly when you have all the facts?'

With my right hand, I played with the black curls on my husband's head, as my left played with my son's, to stop him pouting. I understood Thomas' fears, for they had once been my own. I had thought that by not speaking out, I was protecting our daughters, but then Maddie had still found herself placed in great danger because of my keeping my mouth shut.

'I do know what you mean, Bathsheba,' sighed Thomas, resting his head on my shoulder, 'but you must understand that it is difficult for me to think of our daughters as anything but the sweet, little girls who would run excitedly around our feet every Christmastide,'

'And they will still being doing that for many years to come,' I smoothed, 'then when they are married, we will watch our grandchildren play at our feet, so please let me speak with Maddie. You don't have to do anything, just give me your blessing,'

'My blessing,' smiled Thomas, with a little laugh as he let go of my waist and patted my little rounding belly, 'Bathsheba, you are the most amazing mother and even more amazing wife, you never have to ask for my blessing. Just promise you will delicate with the subject,'

'I promise,'

I leaned over and gently placed my lips on top of his and slowly kissed him. Long ago and only for a brief moment, I had wondered what my life would have been like, if Anthony had kept his promises to look after me...and it would have been a lonely life, of me struggling to raise Maddie, whilst Anthony continued to use me. It was nothing like the bliss I now felt and continued to feel. This was my mission for my children, to get them perfect moment like this with their future partners and not a lonely life of broken promises.

Still kissing, both me and Thomas glanced over at Daniel, who had gone quiet ,and we saw that he was dozing in his father's arm. Breaking away, Thomas started to kiss my neck and I felt the emotions, which had seized me last night and on many occasions over the years, roll through my body, as his lips sucked on my flesh.

'Let's put Daniel down,' whispered Thomas, his breath tickling my ear, 'and we can continue with last night,'

'Can I assume, Lord Cromwell,' I teased, running a hand down the front of his night shift, 'that you wish for a special cuddle from your amazing wife?'

'You always could read my mind, Bathsheba,' replied Thomas, leaning forward to kiss me again, but before our lips had a chance to meet, Daniel suddenly reminded us of his existence.

'No Dada!' he pouted, his bottom lip sticking out, 'my Mama!'

* * *

'More Mama! More!' cried Daniel, as I bathed him in the little children's tub, which was kept in the corner of the nursery, 'more Mama!'

'You love the water, don't you my little angel,' I cooed, pouring another beaker full of warm water gently over his little head, 'you're not like your sisters, who would scream as soon as they saw the tub being brought out. Did you know, that your sister Kate once ran naked through Richmond Palace rather than get her feet wet?'

It was true, she had and was proud of the fact, that at the age three she had charged through a meeting of the Privy Council, in nothing but her natural state, causing poor Thomas great embarrassment as I ran after, dressed in nothing but my shift, (he would grumble that the only one who got wet that day was Suffolk at the sight of me being undressed). The memory made me laugh so much that I joined in with Daniel, who giggled and clapped his fat little hands in glee as he felt the water rush over him as though he was in a rain storm. I also laughed at the innocence sweetness in his smiling face and wondered if Thomas, who Daniel was the spitting image of in looks, had been this way when he was a little boy.

'More Mama! More!'

'Alright Daniel,' I laughed, pouring some more water over him, 'but soon it's time we got you dried and ready for lunch,'

'You wanted to see me, Mummy?' said Maddie in a lower voice as she came into the nursery. Despite the colour returning to her cheeks, my oldest child was still much distressed by what had occurred to her and despite Thomas' reservations, I had decided it was best for me to have a word, to prevent her from ever again becoming the prey of evil men.

'Yes, Maddie,' I answered cheerily, so she would not worry, as I reached for the cloth to dry Daniel with, 'sit with me by the fire. Come Daniel, let's get you dry and into some nice warm clothes,'

'No Mama!' protested Daniel, trying frantically to escape as I picked him up from the tub and wrapped him in the thick fabric, 'no Mama! More! More!'

But no matter how hard Daniel's tried to wriggle free from my grasp, he was no way as good as escaping me as Kate had been and I managed to hold him tight-much to his annoyance, as he started to pout, the way Thomas always did, when I didn't let him have his own way.

'You're just like your father, Daniel. He always sulks when Mama says no,'

Carrying a grumbling Daniel over towards the fire place, I nodded at Maddie to sit in one of the chairs as I took the one beside her. For a moment I said nothing, just started to dry Daniel's mass of curls as I tried desperately to think of an opening to this discussion. My own mother had never spoken to me about the mysteries of love and lust, but then she had no real need to. We lived in a tavern, which everyone in Gloucester knew was a brothel full of disease filled whores of both sexes, so every night of my childhood was full of the grunting and groaning sounds of thrusting couples. Besides this, more often than not, I was forced to witness a sleazy, grotesque creature, forcing himself inside a worn out maid or a frighten young boy. Perhaps, it was at this young age that I decided lust for me must always come with love. Maybe that was why, in those dizzy moments after love making, when your body is still recovering for the sensual shock, I always shivered so violently and needed my husband's strong arms around me, as reassurance that I was loved.

'Mama hurt!' pouted Daniel, bringing me out of my thoughts and I noticed that I had rubbed his little head of hair dry, 'Mama hurt!'

'Mama's sorry, sweetheart,' I said, stopping and kissing him on the forehead, 'she just got a bit carried away,'

'Mummy,' Maddie suddenly interrupted in a voice, which sounded so small, 'is this about Thomas?'

My poor little girl, looked so pale as she spoke, as her green eyes studying her clasped hands, which were fidgeting nervously in her lap. I had always thought myself a good mother, but now, despite Maddie's and Thomas' reassurances, part of me still felt a failure, for having let my eldest child down.

'Yes, sweetheart,' I said and with a free hand, I took hold of her left, 'I feel that I have neglected talking with you over certain matters, that could have helped you remain safe,'

She looked at me briefly, her big eyes looking slightly confused but then, suddenly she seemed to understand and looked away from me. Shifting in her seat, Maddie studied the floor and moved uneasily in the chair, as if she had sat on a pin cushion.

'I do know what happens,' she whispered, still staring at the floor, 'I know what men and women do...I know what you and father do,'

I gulped as I heard her say those words. I loved my husband with a passion and took the physical side of our marriage very seriously, but I felt unnerved with my daughter saying she knew what we were doing. We had always been careful with the children, despite having to keep one eye on the door when Kate went through a stage of just barraging in without knocking-though sometimes passion did overcome reason.

'You know, Maddie,' I continued, 'what me and your father do is out of love for each other,'

'Oh I know,' Maddie replied, looking up at me briefly before once again studying the floor, 'that why I thought it was sick when Edmund poisoned my mind against the both of you and why I thought I would let Thomas do those things to me but...'

'Yes, Maddie?'

'But I think you should only do those type of things with someone you love. I convinced myself I loved Thomas, because Edmund said no one else would ever want me. Then when he started ...touching me...I felt so sick and I knew I did not love him...if ever I get married, I will do those things like a wife should, because I will love my husband with all my heart, the way you love father,'

I looked at my oldest baby girl and as I saw her lift her head, causing her mass of curls to bounce, I realised how grown up she really was. She understood more than I had, when I was her young age-in fact she was more clever at thirteen than I had been at twenty-one. My Maddie had fought off her would-be seducer, whereas I had believed mine's pretty words and spread my legs for him. Not that I regretted my actions with Anthony in barn, but I just wished that I could changed that part of the past, so I could have given Maddie a better start in life, than what I had done. Thought despite my mistakes, Maddie still had the makings of a beautiful, intelligent young woman.

'I am so proud of you, Maddie!' I cried, kissing her on the cheek, 'I may not have shown it much recently, but you will always be my special little girl. So beautiful, so clever. Now let's put all that business with Edmund and Culpepper behind us,'

'Yes, Mummy,' she answered looking at me with a beaming smile, that I had missed these past few months, 'I hope we can all put it behind us,'

'Good. Now help me get Daniel ready for lunch, before William arrives,'

* * *

'I do not recall, William,' said Thomas seriously as I walked into the parlour, 'giving you permission to hold my daughter's hand,'

'Er...no...yes sir,' gasped William, frantically letting go of Maddie's hand and falling back into his chair as the two of them were sat talking at the table, 'sorry...sir...I...I promise it will...will not... ha...happen again sir,'

'I am glad to hear it, William,' nodded Thomas, leaning back in the window seat with a dozing Daniel in his arms, 'and remember what I said about distance,'

'Oh Thomas!' I laughed, sitting down next to him, 'leave the poor boy alone. Can't you see you're embarrassing the lad?'

'I am just stating the facts, Bathsheba,' he smiled, as Daniel let out a loud snore, 'Christ, Daniel! Your snoring is almost as bad as your mother's!'

'I don't snore, Lord Cromwell!' I smiled, kissing him on the cheek, 'how dare you suggest such a thing!'

'As much as I love you, my beautiful Bathsheba,' he replied, slipping an arm around my waist and pulling me against him, 'your snoring is worse than any man's,'

'And you have shared a bed with many men, Lord Cromwell?' I said, leaning in and whispering into his ear as my eyes continued to watch Lily-Anna, who was practicing her dance steps in the centre of the chamber. She was so angelic, our Lily-Anna, so wanting to be the beautiful princess, that it was hard to believe her and Kate had been created the same way.

'Thanks to my days as a soldier,' he answered, raising his voice slightly so that William heard the word _soldier_, 'I can answer that question with a resounding yes,'

'Then I should be glad that you loved me so much, that you didn't kick me out of bed on our first night,'

'Bathsheba,' whispered Thomas, throwing a glance over at Lily-Anna, who was singing to herself as she twirled around, 'not in front of the children,'

I was about to say, she can't hear us, as she seemed too wrapped up in her dancing and singing, but as I went to get the words out, she suddenly spoke.

'Was that when you realised how much you loved Mummy, Dada?'

I looked at Thomas, expecting him to be slightly shocked that his youngest daughter had overheard our conversation, but instead he just smiled warmly.

'No,' he smiled, beckoning her to come over, which she did, skipping forward and hopping on to my knee. She was getting heavy and I was careful that she didn't lean on my swollen belly, but she was still my princess and I gave her a big cuddle, 'I knew I loved your mother, the moment I saw her doing the washing in the yard,'

At his words, Lily-Anna looked at her father and me with an opened mouth, her green eyes wide with shock and amazement.

'Really?' she gasped, 'that is so romantic!'

'Yes, really, Little One,'

'And did you, Mummy?' she chirped, looking up at me, 'did you love Dada the first time you saw him?'

'No, sweetheart,' I answered truthfully, kissing her on the cheek, 'but soon, I realised that your father was the most kindest, most generous and most loving man on God's Earth and then I couldn't help but fall in love with him,'

'I hope you find me a husband just like Dada,' she said, leaning against Thomas, 'but someone like Dada, who can dance,'

'Well,' answered Thomas, kissing his daughter on top of her little white cap, 'I think it is just a little too early for us to be worrying about such things,'

I laughed, remembering our conversation that morning and thinking that once Daniel was Lily-Anna's age, I too would be getting over-protective of him; I had already made up my mind that no girl was good enough for my baby boy.

'Oh, but it isn't Dada,' she said seriously, 'I am seven now and soon I will be old enough to marry and have babies. So I need to be ready,'

'No you do not, Little One,' muttered Thomas, 'you have many years yet. Look at Kate, she is older and as yet makes no mention of marriage,'

'That's because Kate don't want to get married, Dada,'

'Too right,' echoed Kate, as the door opened and she marched in with her falcon perched on her right hand, 'I shall have no man rule over me,'

'Kate,' I cried, letting go of Lily-Anna and getting to my feet, 'what have I told you about bringing that bird into the house?'

'I wanted an apple, Mummy,' she answered, taking one from the bowl on the table, 'and there is no need to worry about Morgana, she would not hurt a fly. But Mr Bryan is going to help me teach her how to catch mice,'

'Mr Bryan?' asked Thomas with curiosity.

'Yes,' said Kate, through a mouthful of apple, 'he is taking me and Hans hawking,'

'Hawking!' echoed Thomas and I saw a look of dejection in his face, 'I thought I was going to take you tomorrow?'

'Yes,' smiled Kate, her eyes still showing love towards her beloved Dada, 'but you need to rest Dada. Mummy is going to need you to be strong for when my baby brother or sister is born. So you just sit and rest,'

Munching on her apple, Kate, along with Morgana left to find Hans, who was waiting for them outside. As she closed the door and I breathed a sigh of relief at that bird being out of the house, especially after what happened the last time, when it had relieved itself over poor Lily-Anna's head, but turning to look at Thomas, I saw how dejected he really looked.

'I am only a few years older than Bryan,' he mumbled, his fingers playing with Daniel's hair.

'I know, husband,' I smiled, leaning over and kissing him. Kate, due to Thomas' past, always held a special place in her father's heart and him in her's. From the moment they first laid eyes on each other, they had both shared a special bond, so for Kate to suddenly break slightly out of it, hit Thomas hard, 'but you knew this day would come,'

'But not at the age of ten and to a man...'

'Thomas, he's taking her and Hans hawking, not marrying her,' I laughed, glancing over at Lily-Anna as I had an idea, 'I know, why don't you take Lily-Anna riding? You would like that, wouldn't you, Lily-Anna?'

'Oh yes, very much!' chirped Lily-Anna, looking excitedly at her father with her large round eyes, 'oh please, Dada, say you'll take me riding. Teach me to be as good as you and Kate, please!'

'Of course, I will take you, Little One,' laughed Thomas, getting to his feet and handing me Daniel, who was starting to stir, 'maybe if we ask your mother nicely, she will join us,'

I joined in the laughter, happy that my plan had brightened Thomas' mood and at the fact, that still, after all these years together, my husband was still trying to get me on a horse.

'Me and Daniel will watch,' I smiled, as the four of us walked towards the door, 'to make sure your father doesn't teach you to jump fences, the way he taught your sister!'

'Bathsheba!'

'Oh don't look so surprised, Lord Cromwell,' I cackled as we reached the door, 'I know all about your's and Kate's little secret,'

Thomas went to protest as I reached out for the door handle, but before I had a chance to open it and Thomas to argue, the door flew open with such force, that it narrowly missing my face, as it slammed against the wall.

'What the...' I stuttered, stunned by what had just occurred, but as my eyes started to once again focus, I saw my oldest friend staring back at me, 'Cecily!'

It didn't seem real. I thought the door must have actually hit me on the head and caused me to see things, for as much as I loved and missed her, I could think of no reason why Cecily, who besides hating Thomas and lived in a convent France, would suddenly appear in my house.

'Cecily!'

But she didn't reply. Instead, she turned her full attention on Thomas, her cold, examining eyes piercing straight into him as she shouted in that judging tone of hers.

'You low life creature!' she cried, running up to him, her nun's habit streaming behind her as she ran, 'you bastard son of Satan! You promised me you'd look after her!'

'What the Hell are you talking about woman?' snapped Thomas, holding tight to his daughter's hand, as he met Cecily's cold gaze, 'how dare you march into my house and criticise me!'

'How dare I?' she replied, suddenly grabbing hold of me and Daniel, 'I dare because the only reason I trusted you with my dear friend, was because you swore that you would never let any harm come to her. But now I find out from her letters, that you have welcomed her cousin, Edmund West, into your home...'

'Cecily,' I said calmly, for the only way to make peace between my husband and her was to remain in a state of harmony, 'don't blame Thomas for that. It was all my doing. But now Edmund has shown his true colours and we have thrown him out and telling him, that he is no longer welcomed here,'

I smiled reassuringly at her, hoping this had waylaid her fears, but to my surprise, she suddenly crumbled. Letting go of me, she fell to her knees and threw her arms around my waist as she cried into my expecting belly, as I looked on in disbelief-the only time Cecily cried was when she prayer to the Holy Father.

'I'm so sorry, Bathsheba,' she sobbed, 'I should have told you years ago, but Sister Joan thought it was best you didn't know what was going on in the outside world. Your cousin, Edmund West died of the plague in 1534, along with his wife and children. His estate has been deserted for years...the house bored up and the grounds overgrown...I don't know who that man staying in your house was, but he certainly wasn't Edmund West,'


	22. Chapter 22

**Big thank you for all my reviews and to everyone who is reading this story. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter-its Thomas' turn again-and I really hope it works. Most of this chapter carries on from the happenings in chapter one.**

**Happy reading.**

**London, November 1538**

'_Dada,' calls Kate, from her bedchamber where Bathsheba is getting her ready for bed, 'come quick, me and mummy have something to show you,'_

'_I'm coming, sweetheart,' I laugh, walking down the corridor, 'I hope you and your mother are not playing tricks on me,'_

'_No, Dada,' she giggles in her sweet, innocent voice, 'we would never do that,'_

'_No, we certainly wouldn't,' Bathsheba replies in her serious voice as she appears in the doorway but I notice she has a grin on her face, 'come now, Lord Cromwell, your daughter has been practicing this all day, just for you,'_

_I go in to our daughter's chamber, which is filled with so many toys and pretty clothes that it is hard to find a place to sit. Bathsheba says I spoil Kate too much, that I shower our little girl with so many presents, that we will one day need to buy another house just for Kate and her toys. Perhaps I do, but it just helps to easy my mind, for I feel that by buying her all these gifts, my little girl will always know that I love her and that no matter where I go in the world, I will always return to my darling daughter._

_Finding Kate sat on her bed, I notice that she once again looks like a daughter of mine and not a flour covered ghost, with jam smeared around her round face. As I sit down at the foot of the little bed, I laugh as I notice the serious look of concentration on my young girl's face as her little fingers tie the ribbons of her night cap._

'_Look Dada, Mummy,' she cries, pulling the ribbons tight under her chin, 'I do it all by myself!'_

'_Well done,' I laugh, leaning forward and kissing her on the top her head, 'you are a very clever girl,'_

'_Oh, thats not what I want to show you, Dada,' she replies, seriously as she hops of the edge of the bed, 'is it, Mummy?'_

'_No, my little Kate, it isn't,' smiles Bathsheba, kissing her daughter on the head also, before the both of them kneel down together by the side of the bed and put their hands together in prayer; Kate closing her eyes as she bows her head, whilst Bathsheba looks at me and winks, 'Kate and her tutor have been working on a new prayer just for you,'_

'_Dear God, please look after Mummy, Dada and me,' Kate chirps in that young sing-song voice of hers, as her face is once again a picture of concentration, 'and please look after my big brother, Gregory and my big sister, Magdalene, and please let Mummy and Dada find her soon. Keep us all safe from harm and let us...us...'_

'_not stray from the true path,' Bathsheba prompts, with a side smile at me._

'_not stray from the true path,' Kate continues, sounding so grown up, as she recites the prayer she, her mother and tutor have been working on and together, Bathsheba and her recite the words, 'and lead us not to be tempted by false teachings. For unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason, I take no hide of any other earthly authority. I am bound by the Scriptures and my conscience is captive to the Word of God and not by those who abuse your Holy word for their own selfish uses. Here I stand, I can do no other. May God help me. Amen.'_

_I watch with pride as my little girl recites the words of Luther, in a style created by her tutor and mother. Whilst I am sure Kate does not understand all she has just said and I am certain that the ideas, with which we are trying to bring England out of the darkness with, are already formed in her young mind. One day, she will fully understand the importance of what we are trying to achieve._

'_Very good, Kate!' I cry, holding out my hands as she jumps onto my knee, 'I am so very proud of you!'_

'_I worked so hard,' she says, as she throws her arms tight around my neck, 'didn't I, Mummy?'_

'_Yes you did. Now its time for bed and remember Kate, what me and Master Jones told you,'_

'_That I mustn't repeat it to anyone outside the house, cause I might get in trouble,' Kate answer, jumping off of me and into her bed, climbing underneath the thick woollen blankets and pulling them tight around her. Its only a small, single bed, but lying amid the sheets, with her head on the feathered pillow, I truly realise just how small and fragile Kate real is and how I would do everything in my power to protect her. _

* * *

'_Bugger,' I cry as my foot hits something as I lead Bathsheba into the library, were the two of us always spend our evenings, 'what the hell was that?'_

'_Oh I told Kate to clear those away before supper,' sights Bathsheba, with a loud groan as she pushes past me, falling to her knees as she starts to clear away Kate's toy battleships which are lying scattered across the floor, 'honestly, I'll swing for that girl,'_

'_I am sure she did not mean it,' I reply, rubbing the side of my foot, 'she was probably just hungry,'_

'_Hungry!' she exclaims, throwing some of the toys into Kate's "treasure chest", 'oh Thomas, if that girl was holding a blooded knife over my dead body, you would still defend her,'_

_I laugh loudly at her comment as I lean against the doorframe, folding my arms against my chest as I watch her. She is so beautiful, my wife, that I find myself more stunned by her everyday and as I see her clean up after our child, I find I cannot take my eyes off of her. Bathsheba is wild, her temperament can be fiery, her soul passionate and her looks beautiful but untamed, especially the way her curls always fall from their pins and hang lose, around her face. They do the same tonight, as she crawls around the floor, trying to create a safe path to the window seat, in which we always spend our evenings. I should help her really, for her days are as just as long and hard as mine, especially as she has my little Kate to control, but I cannot, as I find myself transfixed by her._

'_I had to apologise to Lady Stafford again,' she continues, looking up at me as she tries to brush one of those untamed curls behind her ear, 'your sweet Princess, had her little Meg in tears after Kate told her, in great detail, about what they do to men at Tyburn,'_

'_My Kate's a clever girl,' I smile, falling to my knees as if Bathsheba's cat green eyes have hypnotised me into helping her. Oh God, if only she knew the hold, which she has over me. She knows the little things, like on the occasions when she wants me to do her bidding, that all it will take is a simple glance at the curve of her shoulders and the round, fullness of breasts peaking through one of her low-cut dress but what she does not truly know, is how just a look from her makes me feel. Whether it is a small smile, a thunderous scowl or her features set in neutral, all she has to do is let her eyes fall on me and I feel every emotion rush through me. I feel at ease, knowing that by my side is the woman I love and for some reason, she loves me, yet at the same moment, my heart tightens with fear, that one day due to my own foolishness, I will lose her, 'what was she playing? Does not look like the beating of the hunchback again?'_

'_It was the Battle of the White Ships,'_

'_But the White Ships was not a battle! Honestly, I am paying that tutor good money to school our precious girl, into a well educated young lady...,'_

'_A little tyrant more like,' laughs Bathsheba, crawling across the floor like the panther, which is caged in the yard and snatching the toy off of me, 'in Kate's version, the ships were attacked by wicked, murderous pirates and only Princess Kate can save them,'_

_I join in her laughter as I can easily image our young daughter, even at this tender age trying to defend what is right. _

_Bathsheba continues in her advancement, so that she is soon kneeling in front of me, but as I go to kiss her, she moves her head to the side, brushing her warm cheek against my cold face as her lips catch hold of my ear._

'_You have had a long day, Lord Cromwell,' she whispers breathlessly, causing my skin to prickle with heat as I sense her hair on my flesh, 'why don't we take our wine in our bedchamber and I will give your back, a nice long massage,'_

'_Mmm,' I sigh as I move our bodies so that are now face to face, 'what did I do right, to deserve a wife like you,'_

'_You are a very lucky man, Lord Cromwell,' she teases, placing her lips on top of mine and starts to kiss me very slowly. Only I cannot take her gradual, mocking pace as I find every numb, cold sense comes alive and craving the warm body of my loving wife. I wrap my arms tight around her waist, as my mouth fights again her teasing passion, 'oh Thomas!'_

_God, I love her! God, I want her! After all the pains of the day, I need her to make it better, to prove that I am a creature of flesh and blood, who is worthy of love. Strengthening my grip around her waist, I lay her down on the floor, pressing my body down on hers, Bathsheba's curves causing my body to crave her even more._

'_Thomas!' she moans, as I kiss the base of her slender neck, 'Thomas we can't, not here,'_

'_We use to all the time,' I mutter, moving my mouth from the top of her neck to the round tips of her breast. Putting a hand gently on the base of her dress, I pull it further down, my lips and tongue wanting more skin to explore, 'God Bathsheba! I need to be inside you,'_

_I feel heat gather at the base of my spine as I pull her dress further down and let my mouth feast on the soft, warm, ripe flesh. Thinking myself dead, after God took Elizabeth from me, I closed the door on the area of life where you find yourself connected to another in both spirit and body. Yet I thought myself happy, with never feeling another's body close to mine and was content with my work, until I met Bathsheba. Now she invades my thoughts and the wants of my body, so that I cannot imagine life without her and any hurt inflicted on me, instantly leads me to her arms in search of comfort._

'_Well, Lord Cromwell,' Bathsheba whispers, threading her fingers through my hair as she pulls my lips back to hers, 'no one is stopping you!'_

* * *

'_Thomas,' she gasps, as I feel her nails and the heels on her shoes dig into my skin though my clothes. She has let me take on the floor, our bodies still fully clothed but laden with sweat as we move into that frantic, raw rhythm, which we have perfected over the years, 'Jesus...Thomas...'_

_As I thrust inside her, my wife pulls me into her so deep that I find it difficult to hold any self control. My mind and especially my body is possessed by nothing more than wanting my wife. I witnessed much horror today, even now, despite Bathsheba's rosewater perfume, the smell of burning skin still lingers in my nostrils. That smell, that rotten, potent smell of death, suddenly triggers something deep inside me, something that turns my mind and body into having to prove that I am worthy of the beautiful, bewitching creature, whose twisting hips is sending waves of pleasure through me._

_John said that I was afraid of guilt by association, perhaps I am but unlike him, I have more than my conscience left for me in this world. I have a son and daughter to live for...and soon a step-daughter who will need care and protection also. I have a family to live for, with my beautiful Bathsheba, who tells me that I have every reason to want to remain in this world, only leaving when God calls me naturally to him. She deserves better and I need to prove to her that I am worthy of her. _

'_My Bathsheba,' I groan, my hands frantically pulling once again at the neck of her dress, 'my beautiful Bathsheba,'_

'_Thomas,' she replies as my hands tear at the fabric, causing her breasts to spill out. Both our hearts are breathing fast and heavy. I kiss, stroke, suck and bite that smooth flesh, my lips absorbing every drip of sweat, that trickles from her body. For a moment, just for a moment I banish any remise of my old friend's corpse from my mind, 'oh Christ...Thomas...Jesus... just...yes...ye...,'_

_Her body viciously shakes as she curves her slender body towards me, Bathsheba moans becoming almost trapped in her throat. I know the signs and take the cue from my Bathsheba to surrender to the throbbing sensations of my spine._

* * *

'_Well, Lord Cromwell,' Bathsheba laughs, her fingers playing with my hair as we lay there in the stillness of the chamber, 'you haven't taken me so impatiently and roughly since you returned to me after that King of yours sent you away for three months. God, I thought you were going to take me on the steps of the house that night. You looked like a sucking little boy, when I told you, you had to wait,' _

'_I missed you,' I mumble into her chest, enjoying listening to the beating of her heart, 'I love you Bathsheba,'_

'_I love you too,' she replies, kissing the top of my head. We are silent for a moment, the only sound is our hearts beating, but then, Bathsheba continues to speak, her voice with an air of seriousness, 'and I'll always love you. You don't have to prove anything to me. I'm yours until death parts us and if you still want me, I'll be yours forever in the lights of Heaven,'_

'_Bathsheba...I,' I try to tell her that of course I will still want her, when the time comes for us to go to God but I find, I cannot. The words become stuck in my throat, causing me to almost choke as once again I can see the flames and smell the burning meat. I do not deserve her. I am not worthy of her or Gregory or Kate or Magdalene when we find her. I am a coward. A foolish coward, who has betrayed everything I have ever believed in, for a life of privilege and prosperity-betraying God and the scriptures for a life of contradictions and easy, 'I...I am sorry,'_

_I sit up, before she can say anything, but as I go to stand, I find my eyes have become wet with tears and my head pounding in pain, causing my legs to give way as I try to move._

'_Thomas?' she asks, as I hear her sit up, 'whats wrong?'_

_I do not reply, for fear of the truth leaving my mouth, so I bite on the whites of my knuckles and just stare at the closed door._

'_Please, Thomas,' she continues, putting her hands on my shoulders and starting to caress them, 'tell me whats wrong? Let me in, please,'_

'_I am sorry, Bathsheba,' I gasp, shaking my head as my eyes drop to the floor, 'you should be married to a good, kind man, who can look after you and Kate properly,'_

'_But I already am!' she cries, wrapping her arms around my neck, holding me close to her, 'I have a husband and my daughter has a father, who is the very best of men!'_

'_No...no, my love. You married the worse kind of man. A selfish man, who puts his own needs before what is right and true,'_

'_Is this about John Lambert?' Bathsheba replies after a long pause, 'because if it is, I've already told you, I don't want a martyr for a husband. If I did, I have married Thomas More,'_

_Suddenly my tears turn to laughter as I imagine More having to handle Bathsheba and her 'emotions'. I think she would have sent him to early grave or running back to monastery, within days of him putting a ring on her finger._

'_What so funny?' she says in rather stubborn manner, 'wouldn't I be good enough? I'm good enough for you, aren't I?'_

'_You are too good for me and that is the problem,'_

'_I think I'll be the judge of that, don't you, Lord Cromwell,' Bathsheba says, her voice still strong and hard, 'and may I remind you, what you have always said to me. That the Reformation doesn't need martyrs, that it is further prompted by people secretly working in the background and men, like you. You are no coward, Thomas, far from in fact, for you work beside a King, who can't make up his mind about what he wants to believe. Who, if he was to ever go back on what he has done over the years, could have you in the fires with the rest. And I don't want that and we can't have that. We need to be quit, so that when Kate is older, she can utter the words of Luther without the threat of death hanging over her,'_

'_You do not think...' I start but she does not let me finish. Before I can say another word, she moves her head, so that our lips can touch and she starts to kiss me passionately as if we are still a secret, sneaking behind the servants back, but as I start to kiss back, Bathsheba moves away._

'_Let's not think any more. Just believe me, Lord Cromwell,' she smiles, getting to her feet, then holding out a hand to me, whilst the other tries to hold the fabric of her dress together, 'now shall we go to bed. I think you could do with your wife giving you a massage,'_

* * *

_We rush upstairs to our bedchamber, my doublet draped on Bathsheba's shoulders to save her dignity if a servant should spot us. I do not know how my wife does it but somehow she makes me feel as though I share the youth, which she still enjoys and as we get to our bedchamber, I catch hold of her arm and pull her to me, kissing as my other hand opens the door. Still embracing, we enter the chamber, only once we get inside, we find we are not alone. For in the middle of our large bed, looking so small, lies Kate with her two favourite dolls in her arms, fast asleep._

'_Oh Kate!' sighs Bathsheba, rolling her eyes as she goes over to the bed. Gently, she sits down on the side of the bed and twirls Kate's black ringlets around her fingers, 'she looks so peaceful, it seems a shame to move her, maybe...'_

'_We always have tomorrow night,' I smile as I approach, then kneel down in front of her, 'and many more nights to come,'_

* * *

_I watch the two of them sleeping, little Kate snuggling close into her mother's arms, both of them looking so peaceful as their bodies breath in time with one another. Bathsheba always says Kate is the spitting image of me, but there are times, when I see the two of them together, that I realise Kate possesses all her mother beauty and goodness-things she would never have inherited from me. Both my children are the perfect models of their mothers and when we get Magdalene home to us, I know she will be a miniature version of her mother._

_Finally, I start to feel tired but as I go to kiss my sleeping wife and child goodnight, I hear a cracking noise against the glass in the window. I think nothing of it at first, except reflecting that it might be rain, hopefully coming to wash away, briefly, the evil odours of the city. Only it is not followed by a sudden gush of water, tapping violently against the glass. Instead all I hear is a solitary tapping noise one after the other, hitting my bedchamber's main window, the way it use to when I was a boy and someone was telling me to escape my father and come and play on the riverbank. With that in mind, I creep from the bed over to the window, careful so as to not wake my family, buts as I undo the shutters, the hinge on one, creeks at such a high pitch, that I hear a stirring from the bed._

'_Thomas?' Bathsheba mumbles, lifting her head slightly off the pillow, her curls covering her face._

'_I thought I heard some rain,' I smile, though my eyes have caught the outline of figure in the darkness, hovering among the trees in our garden, 'but was mistaken. Though I think I will just get some water,'_

'_Come back to bed,' she says sleepily, only her head collapses back on to the pillow, 'you need to rest, I'll go,'_

'_And you need to rest too,' I reply, going to her and kissing her on the top of the head as she starts to once again surrender to sleep, 'after all, you have Kate to look after tomorrow. I will be back in a few moments,'_

* * *

_I hear him, before I see him-the man who calls me friend. That annoying high pitch whistle that comes from that man's teeth-it is a trick that only he can perform and always send me to the brink of madness. For that reason, I would never have called us friends-one of the many reasons._

_As I creep across the grass with only the light of a small candle, I look back briefly at the chamber that I have left and thank God, that I see no light in the window, for I want my family playing no part in this. I do not trust this man, no matter how often John tried to persuade me otherwise, I always thought there was something not well with James Carter-that there was something too reckless behind those narrow eyes._

'_Thomas,' I hear a faint voice calling from amidst the trees, 'Thomas,'_

'_James,' I call out, trying to find the figure once again in the darkness. My ears can hear the sound of his boots causing the little twigs lying on the ground to snap in two, yet my eyes still cannot find him...and for that reason, I feel my heart start to pound and my head start to spin, 'James, who let you in?'_

'_Noone, Thomas,' he answers as another twig breaks in two. I turn to where I think he is standing, only I get my markings wrong, for as I am about to turn, I find a grey face suddenly appear before my eyes, causing the candle to almost fall from my hands, 'I climbed the wall, like I use to as a boy in Coventry. Why do you look so worried, Thomas? For Christ sake, you are shaking!'_

'_I do not like the idea of someone just jumping the wall of my garden, when my wife and child are home,' I reply sharply, speaking the truth, 'besides, could this not wait till the morning?'_

_In the faint candlelight, I see him grin, a large smile that shows all his pure white teeth and for a moment I think that he will laugh. Only he does not. He simply pauses as if he is thinking of something to say, but he does not reveal his thoughts, only shakes his head from side to side as he speaks different words._

'_How could I have waited till the morning?' he says seriously, turning his back to me as he walks away, 'not after what they did to poor John today...after what you did to poor John today,'_

_I gulp, rather loudly as I look around the garden in search of company, prayer that one of my servants or even the elderly beggars, which reside in the annex part of the house, have felt the need for a night time stroll but alas, I am not so lucky; even the stray dogs of London seem to have deserted my garden tonight._

'_You let him die. He is a man of your own faith and you let him be led to the fires!'_

'_No,' I reply, rather meekly, trying desperately to find a voice as once again I lose track of him, 'it was the law, which sentenced him. I tried to save him. I did everything in my power to spare him from the flames,'_

_It is true, what else could I have done? I told John as firmly as I could those words, which he needed to utter to avoid death, only he chose martyrdom. There was no other way to stop them carrying out his burning, without placing in danger the entire Reformation and John would certainly never have wished that. _

'_Mmm,' I hear his voice echo through the trees, 'are you sure about that Thomas?'_

_Once again that grey face appears before me and again I jump. There was always something unnerving about this man, though others failed to sense it, convincing me that my suspicious nature was getting the better of me. At Cambridge, I convinced myself that the others were right, that I was worrying too much over James zealous nature, but as the years drifted by, my mind altered. As the discontent in the Catholic Church began to spread to all the corners of England and Europe and as the authorities started to fear the change in public opinion, deciding to issue tighter controls and harsh sentences on those caught, my fears about James seemed well founded. For, whilst the rest of us, realised the need for secrecy and the hiding our opinions from the world, working quietly to achieve our aims, James seemed to possess no such quality. He would shout and rage in front of anyone and to anyone, regardless of who was watching and listening. It was as though he was hell bent on being sent to flames, goading the authorities into action. One time, when I secured his release, he was angrier with me for saving his skin, than with those who had placed him behind bars. _

'_I tried to save him!' I shout, 'I told him what he had to do to save himself! What we all have to do, to make sure our Reformation can continue,'_

'_No,' James continues, approaching me from the darkness, 'what you told poor John was to betray everything he held dear...everything we all hold dear. How can you advance faith, if we are all to lie, denying the absolute truth?'_

'_Because us all dying in the flames would silence the word of God!'_

'_Oh I do not think it would,' he smiles, his face looking more sinister than ever as though he is a demon sent by Satan himself, 'as it would show the world that the true word of God is worth being tortured for, that its worth dying for. Who would you rather trust-the man who denies everything or the one willing to melt in the flames for the truth,' _

'_That is a very twisted logic,' I mutter, taking a step back, 'but then, what am I to expect from a man, who I once saw laugh as he drunkenly stoned a dog to death,'_

'_Do not lecture me, Thomas,' he snaps, 'for I will always win and I will always be the one respected for not selling his soul for thirty pieces of silver. How you will be able to hold your head high on the day of Judgement, I do not know. Yet, you can still save yourself, Thomas, especially now, as it seems the King is the mood for lighting fires,'_

'_Get out of my sight!' _

'_I do not blame you, Thomas,' he sighs, putting a hand on my shoulder, sending a chill straight through me, 'in fact, none of us, who knew you before you turned your coat, blame you. No, the one we hold responsible for your cowardness, is that whore who now lies in your bed,'_

'_Now you listen to me,' I shout, as a red mist suddenly appears before my eyes and I grab a handful of his jacket, pushing him back against a tree, 'you leave my wife alone, do you hear? In fact, stay away from my family and leave them out of whatever it is, your twisted mind is plotting!'_

_I expect him to be silent then and to slip away from my grasp, before disappearing into the night-time city. Failing that, I at least expect him to throw himself on my mercy as he pleads for forgiveness for his slight on my innocent Bathsheba. But he fails on both counts, for he makes no excuses for himself, only laughs and laughs, throwing his head back so far, that by the light of the small candle, I see the reds of his throat become almost illuminated. He seems as though he is the devil himself, the way he cackles his taunts. I admit he frightens me, the way he always seemed to frighten me and so I let go of him, with a small shove, before turning away to head back to the house._

'_Get off my property,' I shout, marching back towards the house as I notice a small light appear in my bedchamber, 'before I alert my men,' _

'_The notorious Lord Cromwell hiding behind other men!' he continues to laugh, though it is now more of a sinister cackle, 'or behind that whore of a wife of yours! They say the Duke of Suffolk can't keep his eyes off of her. It will only be a matter of time before he can't keeps his hands off of her too and from what I hear in the taverns, your sweetheart will be wet and willing to spread her legs for him the moment he touches her!'_

'_Get out!' I rage with such force that my body starts to shake, 'get out before I kill you myself!'_

'_Oh you are a fool, Thomas!' he sniggers, walking past me, before disappearing into the night, 'a cowardly fool and you will one day pay for your betrayals!' _

* * *

**Dusseldorf, 1546**

'_I know who Edmund is,' I suddenly crock, breaking through the silence that has befallen the room, 'I know who that bastard truly is,'_

_I look over at Bathsheba, who has gone porcelain white as she holds Daniel tight against her, whilst clasping a shaking hand around the small palm of our youngest daughter, who looks confused, wondering where all the laughter has gone. I also see the slight roundness of Bathsheba's belly, where a child of our making is once again growing and I feel panic grip my heart as I realise the danger I have placed my family in. Oh, why did I fail to see it? Why did I not realise it was him, back for the revenge he swore? The whistling! Oh for Christ sake, the whistling! All the time my mind was trying to recall where I had heard that blasted noise before and yet, my mind would not give over to reveal the horrible truth._

'_I knew you would be involved somehow,' sneers that woman, Bathsheba calls friend, 'I always knew that you would lead my dear Bathsheba down a dark and dangerous path,'_

'_Oh will you shut up, woman!' I snap, forgetting all my promises of being nice to her, as I try to think of a plan._

'_Mummy, Father,' says Maddie quietly as she and William come and join our group, 'what is going on? Why is auntie Cecily here?'_

'_No need to worry?' replies Bathsheba, though I sense the uneasy in her voice as she looks over at me for some answers._

'_Mummy, I frightened,' Little One suddenly chirps, forcing me to realise that I need to act now, before it is too late._

'_There is nothing to be frightened of, Little One,' I smile, kneeling down in front of her and putting an arm around her shoulder, 'you, Mummy, Maddie, Daniel and Kate are just going to stay with Gregory for a bit and maybe go with auntie Cecily to France for a while,'_

'_Thomas,' Bathsheba says, her voice still hiding her fears, 'we said no more secrets. Please, what is going on?'_

'_Bathsheba,' I answer, getting to my feet and pulling her and Daniel to me, 'I will tell you everything, but please do as I say for once. Get the servants to pack some clothes for you and the children, then all of you are to go to Gregory's. William?'_

'_Y...y...yes, sir,'_

'_I need you to do me a great favour. I want you to go and find Kate and Hans. Tell Kate she is to come home this instant, then I want you to get Hans and yourself home safe. Now everyone to work,'_

'_Thomas,' Bathsheba persists, still holding Daniel in her arms as the others do as they are told, 'if this man is dangerous, I have a right to know what is happening,'_

'_I know, Bathsheba but...'_

'_For Christ sake Thomas, please! I am carrying our fifth child and will not bring it into the world fatherless! You can't face him by yourself,'_

'_No one is facing anyone,' I reassure her, kissing both her and our son, 'now, I want you to tell Gregory to meet me at Court and together we will try to track down this man, and then send some of our men to arrest him. That is all that will happen, but just to be safe, I do not want you or the children here until he is caught. Now stop worrying, Bathsheba and believe me, nothing bad is going to happen,' _


End file.
